HAITI  E 
HORNER 

LOUTHAN 


^j 
<***J  * 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN! 


"Paul." 


"THIS  WAS  A  MAN! 


His  life  -was  gentle;  and  the  elements 

So  mix'd  in  Aim,  that  Nature  might  stand  up, 

And  say  to  all  the  world,  "  This  Was  a  Man.' 

—SHAKESPEARE 


A    ROMANCE 


Copyright,   1 906. 
THE  C.  M.  CLARK  PUBLISHING  CO., 

Boston,   Mass. 


Entered  at 
Stationer's  Hall,  London. 

Dramatic  and  all  other 
RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


TJO  the 
Ttyemory  of  77?y  JFfusband, 

Overton  Sarle  jCouthan 


THE    SONGS    HEREIN     ARE    REPRINTED    BY    COURTEOUS 
PERMISSION     OF     "THE     SMART    SET,"     NEW     YORK, 

AND    THE    GORHAM     PRESS,    PUBLISHERS,    BOSTON. 


The  only  safety  in  our  American  life  lies  in  spurning  the 
accidental  distinctions  which  sunder  one  man  from  another, 
and  in  paying  homage  to  each  rrjan  only  because  of  what  he 
essentially  is ;  in  stripping  off  the  husks  of  occupation,  of 
position,  of  accident,  until  the  soul  stands  forth  revealed, 
and  we  know  the  man  only  because  of  his  worth  as  a  man. 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 

What  care  I  for  caste  or  creed  ? 
It  is  the  deed,  it  is  the  deed ! 
What  for  class  or  what  for  clan  ? 
It  is  the  MAN,  it  is  the  MAN  ! 
Heirs  of  love  and  joy  and  woe, 
Who  is  high  and  who  is  low  ? 
Mountain,  valley,  sky  and  sea 
Are  for  one  Humanity. 

What  care  I  for  robe  or  stole  ? 
It  is  the  soul,  it  is  the  soul ! 
What  for  crown  or  what  for  crest  ? 
It  is  the  heart  within  the  breast. 
It  is  the  faith,  it  is  the  hope, 
It  is  the  striving  up  the  slope  ; 
It  is  the  brain  and  eye  to  see 
One  God  and  one  Humanity ! 

ROBERT  LOVEMAN. 


CONTENTS 

Page 

Prologue — The  Sins  of  the  Fathers       ....  7 
Chapter 

I  Twenty  Years  After       .          .          .          .  1 6 

II  My  Lady  Heroine          ....  26 

III  The  Lowly  Hero  ....  36 

IV  Dinner  and  Discussion    ....  49 

V  The  Boss's  Son 63 

VI  His  Fiancee  .          .          .          .          .  72 

VII  Father  and  Daughter      ....  80 

VIII  Providence  Prevents        ....  89 

IX  "  Something  Desperate "          .          .          .  98 

X  Scores  Accumulate          .          .          .          .  107 

XI  Master         .          .          .          .          .          .  123 

XII  "None  So  Blind  As  Those  Who  Will  Not 

See"      ......  132 

XIII  "A  Snapper-Up  of  Unconsidered  Trifles "  141 

XIV  In  League    .          .          .          .          .          .  14.9 

XV  Mistress  and  Man  ,          .          .          .  156 

XVI  Sweet  Danger        .          .          .          .          .  1 70 

XVII  Darkness  Deepens           .          .          .          .  187 

XVIII  Before  Dawn I96 

XIX  Dawn          ......  207 

XX  The  Gentleman  and  the  Hired  Man  .  218 

XXI  Richard  Scores  Even      .          .          .          .  225 

XXII  "  Is  This  Your  Son,  My  Lord  ?"     .          .  231 

XXIII  Out  of  the  Past     ....  240 

XXIV  Dismissal     .....  246 

XXV  The  Woman  Who  Listens      .          .          .  2c8 

XXVI  Mother  and  Son  .          .          .  260 


XXVII  Cruel  With  the  Virtue  Of  a  Man      .          .  274 

XXVIII  Like  Father,  Like  Son  ...  281 

XXIX  Love  Against  Pride         .          .          .          .  292 

XXX  Reading  Between  Lines  .          .          .  305 

XXXI  Brother  and  Sister  .           .          .          .  313 

XXXII  An  Unpretentious  Champion  of  "Common 

Clay" 322 

XXXIII  Master  and  Man  .           .           .           .  329 

XXXIV  She  Stoops  to  Conquer  .          .          .  343 

XXXV  The  Lovers 357 

XXXVI  The  Truth  by  Accident  .          .          .  376 

XXXVII  The  Conspirators  .          .          .          .  388 

XXXVIII  The  Woman  Who  Deliberates  .  .  397 

XXXIX  The  Fierce  Vexation  of  Community  .  409 

XL  The  Betrothed 417 

LXI  "  Unto  Seventy  Times  Seven "         .           .  432 

XLII  Who  is  Guilty?    .          .          .          .          .  441 

XLIII  "Friday  Next"             ....  454 

XLIV  Love  Blinded 462 

XLV  Indecision              .          .          .          .          .  471 

XL VI  As  A  Man  Soweth         .          .          .          .  478 

XLVII  Father  and  Son      .           .          .          .           .  489 


THIS   WAS   A  MAN. 


PROLOGUE. 

THE  SINS  OF  THE  FATHERS. 

"  COME  into  the  study,  Eldreth,  I  must  speak  with 
you.  No,  you  can  not  see  her;  she  is  quite  pros- 
trated. It  has  been  overwhelming,  even  to  me,  this 
sudden  knowledge  that  you  have  broken  one  of 
God's  greatest  laws.  And  you  realize,  doubtless, 
how  this  knowledge  alone  would  deter  me  from  giv- 
ing you  my  sister's  hand  in  marriage,  even  if  I  had 
not  learned  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt — " 

The  young  Rector  hesitated  and  lifted  mild,  re- 
buking eyes  to  the  friend  whom  he  had  loved,  still 
loved. 

Pierce  Eldreth  remained  standing  near  the  door 
he  had  just  closed.  There  was  an  annoyed  look  on 
his  fair,  handsome  face,  a  glitter  in  his  blue  eyes,  as 
he  exclaimed : 

7 


8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Oh,  you  men  of  the  cloth  are  always  so  un- 
charitable with  the  mistakes  of  one's  boyhood." 

"  Your  little  Richard  is  barely  two  years  old,  I 
believe,"  observed  the  Rector  coldly,  "  And  when  I 
think  that  it  was  about  two  years  ago  that  this  girl 
attached  herself  to  my  sister,  volunteering  to  serve 
her  at  the  poor  pay  afforded  in  a  country  rectory; 
when  I  recall  her  anxiety  to  leave  Denver  and  come 
to  Eldhurst,  the  inevitable  conclusion  is — 

"  That  she  wanted  to  be  near  her  child,  naturally," 
concluded  the  other  for  him,  "  Though  declining  the 
sum  my  father  set  upon  her,  stormily,  insultingly 
refusing  it,  yet  she  seemed  willing  enough  to  fall  in 
with  his  scheme  of  taking  the  boy  and  rearing  him 
as  a  gentleman  here  at  Eldhurst.  And  she  swore  to 
corroborate  the  story  of  my  early  widowerhood,  and 
to  keep  to  herself — what  she  seems  after  all  to  have 
told  you — if  only  we  would  allow  her  to  see  the 
child  once  in  a  while.  Father  was  so  impressed  with 
her  beauty  that  his  usual  clear-headedness  was 
blinded  to  my  plan  (surely  the  wiser)  of  The  Rescue 
down  in  Denver,  or  the  Florence  Crittenden  Home 
for  such  as  she,  where  she  could  have  had  her  child. 
But  the  old  man  got  more  than  one  set  English  no- 
tion along  toward  the  last.  The  good  Lord  left 
him  sense  enough  to  see  I  couldn't  marry  her,  else 
there'd  have  been  the  deuce  of  a  time;  for  father 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  9 

never  knew  from  actual  experience  what  back  talk 
was." 

"  And  the  knowledge  of  the  one  fact  mentioned," 
resumed  the  Rector  in  his  even,  placid  way,  taking 
up  the  thread  of  his  earlier  remark,  "  would  alone 
deter  me  from  granting  my  sister's  hand,  even  if  we 
had  not  learned  from  Marah's  own  lips  last  night 
that  your  former  illicit  relations  with  her  had  been 
renewed  during  this  period  of  two  years  under  my 
roof — barring  the  six  months  since  my  sister's  re- 
turn from  college." 

"  '  We '?  Good  Lord !  she  did  not  tell  you  all 
this  before  Miss  Allan  ?  " 

The  Rector  nodded,  quite  beyond  words;  for 
there  was  no  repentance  in  the  face  before  him,  no 
sorrow  for  sin,  merely  consternation  at  having  been 
detected.  In  God's  eyes,  how  much  better  was  this 
one  than  Menendez,  the  Mexican  outlaw,  as  yet  un- 
detected, hiding  there  at  Eldhurst? 

By  and  by  he  said  in  a  low  voice:  "  So  you  see, 
Eldreth,  my  consent  is  quite  out  of  the  question, 
even  if  my  sister  did  not  know.  Good-night — good- 
bye ;  "  and  he  held  out  his  hand. 

His  companion  stared  at  him  in  haughty  silence 
for  an  instant. 

"  I  did  not  call  to  beg  your  consent  to  our  ap- 
proaching marriage,  Edwin  Allan." 

"Why  then  ?'? 


io  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  To  see  her,  and  by  God !  I'm  going  to  do  it." 

"  She  will  not  see  you." 

"  I'll  have  that  from  her,  sir." 

The  young  Rector  lifted  his  serene  eyes  to  the 
flushed  face,  and  he  unwittingly  uttered  the  words 
best  calculated  to  strengthen  the  other's  purpose : 

"  Pierce  Eldreth,  do  you  think  that  my  sister,  best 
loved  of  our  blameless  father  and  our  sainted  mother 
now  gone,  daughter  of  a  long  immaculate  line  of 
the  purest,  noblest  New  England  blood,  herself  un- 
sullied by  so  much  as  an  impure  thought;  a  queen 
among  women,  white-settled  and  royal,  my  helper 
in  His  work, — do  you  imagine  for  a  moment  that 
she  would  stoop  to  unite  with  one  whose  past,  aye, 
and  whose  present,  are  what  yours  are,  self-con- 
fessed?" 

'  That  is  precisely  what  I  am  here  to  ascertain," 
replied  his  companion  coolly,  "  but  I'll  have  my  in- 
formation first-hand.  Miss  Allan  has  reached  her 
majority,  I  believe." 

Edwin  Allan  grasped  the  table  edge  with  nervous 
fingers  and  leaned  towards  the  young  man  who 
stood  with  clenched  hands  regarding  him  defiantly. 

Ac  that  moment  an  inner  door  swung  and  a 
young  woman  stood  upon  the  threshold,  a  tall, 
queenly  blonde  with  a  royally  poised  head  and  a 
delicate,  high-bred  face.  She  was  clad  in  some 
long,  sweeping  white  robe ;  her  hair  indicated  recent 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  n 

contact  with  restless  pillows  and  her  eyes  the  recent 
touch  of  tears.  But  the  aristocrat  was  written  over 
her  from  head  to  foot;  and  you  at  once  recognized 
her  strong  points  of  appeal  to  a  patrician  like  Pierce 
Eldreth ;  how  he  would  ponder  upon  such  a  woman 
to  grace  Eldhurst,  upon  the  children  to  spring  from 
the  marriage-bed,  to  perpetuate  his  old  and  honor- 
able name. 

The  tense  silence,  the  constrained  attitude  of  the 
two  men  at  once  betrayed  to  her  the  subject  of  their 
discussion.  Murmuring  an  apology,  she  was  about 
to  withdraw,  but  her  brother  signed  her  to  remain. 

"  Edith,  Mr.  Eldreth  does  me  the  honor,"  and 
ever  so  slight  a  circumflex  crept  into  the  Rector's 
tone,  "  to  request  your  hand  in  holy  matrimony," 
and  a  curious  little  emphasis  fell  upon  the  last  two 
words,  "  I  have  assured  him  that  there  can  be  but 
one  answer,  after  Marah's  story  last  night ;  but  one 
answer  from  an  Allan  and  the  daughter  of  our 
mother.  But  he  wishes  it  from  your  lips.  Speak !  " 

Slowly,  with  her  fascinated  gaze  passing  from 
the  troubled  eyes  of  her  brother  to  the  passionate, 
entreating  eyes  of  her  lover,  Edith  Allan  advanced 
to  the  center  of  the  study.  Slowly  her  proud  head 
drooped,  a  delicate  color  staining  her  face  and  throat. 
Involuntarily  both  men  took  a  step  toward  her.  In- 
decision was  so  foreign  to  her  that  both  remained 
breathless  lest  they  lose  her  words. 


12  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"There  is,  there  can  be,  but  one  answer,"   she 

began. 

"  I  pray  God—  "  interposed  her  brother,  alarmed 
by  the  expression  of  her  face. 

"  I  love  you,  only  you,"  breathed  her  lover,  ap- 
proaching her  with  out-reached  arms,  "  The  woman 
is  nothing  to  me,  nothing." 

"  Forgive  me,  Edwin,"  murmured  the  girl,  stoop- 
ing to  kiss  his  hand  with  reverence  and  affection,  "  I 
know  all;  have  weighed  all;  yet— yet  there  can  be 
....  but  one  answer,"  and  turning  she 
stretched  meeting  hands  to  her  lover's  eager,  thrill- 
ing clasp. 

Stunned,  dazed,  the  Rector  turned  from  the  room. 
As  he  closed  the  door  behind  him,  the  figure  of  a 
slender,  dark-haired  woman  started  up  from  a  listen- 
ing attitude  at  the  door-frame. 

"  Marah,"  he  whispered,  "  Marah,"  and  his  voice 
lingered  tenderly,  compassionately  over  the  syllables 
of  her  name. 

But  the  woman  staggered  away,  supporting  her- 
self along  the  wall,  and  she  did  not  once  look 
back. 

In  the  darkness  of  the  porch,  she  leaned,  faint 
and  nerveless. 

"  The  '  woman ! '  she  repeated  whisperingly, 
"'  Nothing \  nothing!'" 

A  glowing  point  of  fire  pricked  the  blackness  out 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  13 

near  the  gate,  and  a  taint  of  cigarros  hung  in  the 
May  air. 

The  woman  straightened  tensely. 

"  Manuel !     Manuel  Menendez !  " 

Her  summons  was  a  mere  breath,  but  the  fire- 
point  described  a  swift  downward  arc,  and  a  man's 
form,  dimly  outlined,  flung  down  at  her  feet. 

"  Senorita  mia,  thou  deedst  call  ?  " 

She  stooped. 

"  You  are  always  here — at  the  gate ;  in  the  church, 
even  at  choir-practice;  under  these  windows. 
Why?" 

"  A — h,  thou  know-est." 

"I?     How  should  I?" 

The  dim  form  prostrated  itself  yet  lower.  "  Te 
adoro! "  came  breathing  up  to  her,  her  dress-hem  at 
his  lips. 

She  laughed  contemptuously.  "  Te  ador-o!" 
she  mimicked,  "And  is  that  all?"  It  was  taunt 
and  challenge  commingled. 

The  worshipful  form  straightened  to  its  knees. 

"  No  le  comprendo  «...  a  vd,"  he  stam- 
mered. 

A  pause. 

The  man  leaped  to  his  feet,  his  face  thrust  close 
to  hers  in  a  vain  endeavor  to  read  her  expression. 

"All?"  he  whispered,  "  Dios!  Dios!"  Then 
clutching  her  arm  with  two  shaking  hands,  he 


i4  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

panted:  "Es  posiblef  Thou  .../... 
All?  " 

The  darkness  was  heavy  at  the  moment,  the  si- 
lence heavier.  But  at  length  the  fateful  word  fell : 

"  All" 

"  Hermosa  mia!"  His  grasp  tightened,  his 
breath  quickened.  "  We  thees  vera  night  weel  fly 
far-r.  My  country — no.  Why,  matteers  not. 
But  far-r,  now,  thees  vera  night.  Ees  eet  not  so?  " 

She  wrenched  from  him,  crowding  back  into  the 
doorway. 

"  Tomorrow,  if — " 

"  Eef — "  he  echoed  with  quivering  eagerness,  fol- 
lowing her. 

"  We  are  to  stay  here — here  at  Eldhurst ;  you  as 
head-shepherd,  I— 

"  Si,  si,"  he  laughed  musically,  "  As  thou  weelt, 
qncrida  mia,  as  thou  weelt.  Manana! " 

"  And — wait !  one  thing  more.  No,  no, — listen 
to  me!  You  are  to  tell  him,  your  master,  of  our — 
that  I  love  you;  that  I  have  loved  you  since  first  I 
came  to  the  Rectory ;  you,  Manuel  Menendez,  no  one 
but  you.  Ha!  ha!  .  .  .  Then,  tomorrow— 
You  will  not  fail  me,  Manuel?  ....  As  I 
have  loved  no  one  else,  ever.  Tell  him  that.  Yes, 
yes,  sometime  .  .  .  afterward  ...  not 
yet  ...  I-  Stand  back!  ...  So.  Re- 
member: we  are  to  stay  right  here;  you  are  to  tell 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  15 

him  tonight  yet, — that  I  love  you,  that  I  told  you 
so.  What  ?  /  fail  you  ?  Never !  I  swear  it.  Do 
I  not  love  you?  Ha,  ha,  ha!  .  .  .  Oh,  we'll 
see !  Go,  now.  Go !  " 

And  the  door  was  closed  violently  in  his  face. 


x6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

TWENTY  YEARS  AFTER. 

THE  service  was  done,  and  the  dying  tones  of  the 
rich  organ  still  bore  the  benediction's  plea  above 
the  departing  congregation. 

Lilys  Eldreth  came  down  from  the  choir  gallery, 
music-roll  and  parasol  in  hand,  and  was  about  to  fol- 
low her  uncle,  who  had  disappeared  through  the  side 
door  toward  the  Rectory,  when  a  sign  from  her 
father  summoned  her  to  where  the  Eldreth  carriage 
waited  at  the  church  door. 

Lilys  was  a  slim,  lissome  girl  of  perhaps  twenty, 
with  the  erect  carriage,  the  superb  vitality  of  body 
and  the  quick  grace  of  movement  that  bespoke  an 
active  outdoor  life;  strong,  supple  little  wrists  and 
firm  ankles  that  told  of  tennis,  golf  and  climbing. 
Her  dress  to-day  was  an  earth-born  cloud  of  tulle, 
which  had  an  earthy  and  curiously  individual  way 
of  clinging  to  her ;  the  skirt  just  now  held  up  from 
the  ground,  exposing  one  small,  high-arched  foot 
emerging  from  a  foam  of  snowy  lace.  Her  gypsy 
face  was  shadowed  by  a  wide  ghost  of  a  hat,  one  of 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  17 

those  skeleton  nothings  that  nods  elastically  with 
the  wearer's  every  motion  and  seems  momentarily 
threatening  to  lift  and  soar.  Her  complexion  was 
flush-pink  seen  through  ivory.  Her  eyes  were  stars 
at  dusk.  The  crimson  poppies  at  her  bodice 
matched  her  full  lips.  As  she  approached  the  car- 
riage, she  spread  up  her  white  parasol,  whose  droop- 
ing drifts  of  costly  lace  formed  the  ideal  background 
for  her  sparkling  face  and  ringlets  of  jetty  hair. 

Howard  and  DeLacy  bared  their  heads  as  she 
stopped  beside  the  carriage,  and  her  half-brother 
Richard  made  a  move  toward  the  driver's  seat  to 
make  a  place  for  her  beside  their  father.  But  no, 
she  said,  she  must  talk  with  Uncle  Allan  about  some 
work  on  her  herbarium  for  tomorrow.  She  would 
get  Nina  and  be  home  in  time  for  dinner  with 
them — consulting  the  tiny  gem-studded  watch  at  her 
belt — but  now  she  was  going  to  the  Rectory. 

She  repeated  this  last  in  her  slow,  wilful  way, 
with  her  eyes  on  Paul's  face;  but  he  seemed  fully 
occupied  with  the  fretful  horses  and  did  not  look  up, 
though  his  heightened  color  attested  his  conscious- 
ness of  her  gaze.  Then  she  tossed  her  music-roll  to 
her  brother,  smiled  into  DeLacy's  admiring  eyes, 
blew  a  kiss  to  her  father  and  drifted  away. 

"  You  see  she  has  a  fashion  all  her  own  of  getting 
her  way  with  me,  as  with  every  one  else,"  laughed 
Pierce  Eldreth,  as  the  carriage  toiled  along  the  steep 


i8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

road  that  wound  from  the  church  to  Eldhttrst  House, 
"  In  her  fair  lexicon  there  seems  to  be  no  such  words 
as  '  May  I  ?  '  Once  in  a  while  she  asks  my  consent 
to  some  of  her  doings,  but  it's  generally  after  the 
doings."  Then,  as  though  picking  up  a  previous 
theme,  "  I  doubt  if  she  would  go  willingly.  She's 
quite  attached  to  things  hereabout.  She's  never  been 
away  to  school  as  Richard  has.  Her  uncle  has 
taught  her,  and  he  and  the  boys  of  the  place,  Paul 
and  Pepito  and  the  others,  have  made  paths  for  her 
among  the  hills,  and  they  have  regular  runs  after 
bugs  and  flowers  and  what  not.  You  see,  her 
mother  died  at  Lilys's  birth,  and  the  girl  has  never 
had  a  moment's  restraint.  She's  as  headstrong  as 
the  colts  she  rides.  Of  course,  if  I  said  *  Go,' 
why — "  He  ended  with  a  shrug  and  a  scowl  that 
went  far  toward  explaining  the  implicit  obedience 
rendered  by  Eldhurst's  army  of  employes,  from  the 
lowliest  sheepboy  to  the  foreman. 

"  But  I  tell  you  it's  a  crime,"  argued  DeLacy, 
"  such  a  voice  as  that  in  a  little  mission  church  for 
the  benefit  of  cowboys  and  half-breeds.  Beg  par- 
don, but  it's  a  clear  case  of  sweetness  wasted, — 
sweetness,  volume,  power.  Mr.  Howard  acknowl- 
edges he  has  done  all  he  can  for  her,"  with  a  bow  to 
the  old  Chorister  opposite  him,  "  The  East  has  con- 
servatories, masters,  opportunities ;  you  have  money 
and  to  spare.  I  think  I  never  heard  just  such  a 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  19 

voice,  such  first-water  purity,  such  peculiar  carrying 
power,  such  haunting  after-glow.  Her  mother 
sang?" 

"  Not  a  note !  "  and  Eldreth's  glance  sought  How- 
ard's eyes  half-inquiringly,  as  though  the  thought 
had  never  before  occurred  to  him,  "  She  wrote 
songs,  the  words  I  mean;  but  she  did  not  sing." 

He  fell  into  a  revery  from  which  he  was  roused 
by  his  son. 

"  I  don't  see  why  she  can't  go,  Father.  Allan's 
got  her  well  ahead  on  book  matters;  has  kept  her 
nearly  up  with  me  at  the  university." 

"And  I  have  talked  conservatory  to  you  for  nearly 
a  year,"  put  in  the  Chorister,  "  I  do  not  know  what 
we'll  do  without  her — "  The  old  man's  voice  fal- 
tered and  broke  curiously;  but  DeLacy  said  in  his 
winning  tones : 

"  Come,  be  persuaded,  Eldreth.  We  must  have 
our  way  this  time.  My  aunt  will  bring  her  party 
down  from  Estes  Park  a  week  from  tomorrow  on 
their  way  to  Denver  and  thence  direct  to  Atlantic 
City.  Miss  Lilys  has  never  been  east,  and  she  could 
not  see  it  under  better  chaperonage  than  Mrs.  Scott- 
DeLacy's.  Your  daughter  can  easily  be  ready  in  a 
week's  time." 

There  was  a  long  pause  as  the  horses  toiled  on 
toward  the  summit  of  the  hill.  Eldreth  was  reflect- 
ing deeply.  DeLacy  was  studying  his  face  eagerly. 


20  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Young  Eldreth  was  sheltering  a  match  in  both  hands 
and  trying  to  light  his  cigarette.  The  old  musician 
was  looking  off  toward  the  Peak  with  blurring  eyes. 
Paul  Menendez,  pale  as  death,  cut  the  straining 
horses  viciously,  then  pulled  them  down,  and  the 
carriage  started  forward  again  with  a  lurch. 

"  Well  then — she  goes !  "  announced  Eldreth  de- 
cisively. His  brow  cleared.  He  reached  his  cigar- 
case  to  Howard  and  DeLacy.  Then  turning 
sharply,  as  the  carriage  gave  another  lurch : 

"  Paul,  you'd  better  learn  to  drive ! " 


The  service  done,  the  Rector  turned  aside  to  his 
quiet,  book-walled  study.  He  was  in  no  mood  for 
the  summer  guests,  the  worldly  talk  and  jest  at 
Eldhurst,  nor  for  the  lengthy  dinner  in  the  evening; 
hence,  avoiding  his  brother-in-law's  eye  and  ignor- 
ing the  Eldhurst  carriage,  he  shut  himself  in  his 
favorite  room  of  the  modest  rectory  which  adjoined 
the  church. 

That  closing  solo  haunted  him.  It  roused  old 
memories  that  beat  their  bars  and  wailed.  It  was 
Lilys's  voice  and  yet  not  Lilys's  voice  that  had 
winged  the  words : 

"  Oh  Thou  who  shunned  not  Calvary, 
My  tortured  soul  pours  out  to  Thee 
Its  anguished  pleading  :  «  Help  Thou  me, 
Thou  loving  One  ! '  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  21 

For  how  could  Lilys  sing  that,  Lilys  who  was  only 
a  child,  and  had  never  suffered  ? 

Nay,  that  other  voice  that  Sunday  after  Sunday 
for  nearly  two  years  had  floated  down  from  the 
choir-loft  above  his  head,  that  wondrous  voice  with 
all  its  tell-tale  changes. 

At  first,  despite  the  woman's  past,  then  unknown 
to  him,  her  voice  had  often  the  sweet,  care-free  tones 
of  Lilys's  or  of  the  lark's  or  the  gurgling  notes  of  a 
mountain-brook  in  May. 

Then,  when  Pierce  Eldreth  had  come,  a  softer 
note;  a  bird  at  dawn  of  spring;  a  brook  caressing 
loved,  but  hindering,  stones.  How  that  thrilling 
undertone,  engulfing  him  from  above,  would,  in 
spite  of  him,  weigh  his  senses  down,  before  the 
wings  of  his  spirit  could  gather  strength  to  bear  him 
upward  into  his  lofty  theme. 

Another  change.  The  voice  swelled,  a  gloria  in 
excelsis  poured  to  love ;  the  bird  at  nesting  time,  the 
cataract  unchecked,  the  woman's  voice,  passion- 
deepened. 

Yet  another  change  when  the  climax  in  four  lives 
had  approached :  grief,  despair,  wounded  love  and 
pride ;  the  stricken,  mateless  bird ;  the.  torrent  broken 
on  the  cruel  rocks. 

That  closing  solo ;  that  last  Sunday ;  she  had  sung 
it  then,  each  note  a  wail,  each  syllable  a  prayer, 
sweet,  sweet,  like  liquid  pearls,  slow  beading  from 


22  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

threads  of  bitterness.  She  had  sung  and  gone ;  had 
moved  down  the  aisle,  past  the  Eldreth  pew  which 
held  the  bridal  party,  in  its  midst  her  own  child  and 
his,  the  groom's — had  passed  the  church's  door,  nor 
entered  it  again  in  all  these — twenty  years. 

Yes,  it  was  twenty  years  since  she  had  taken  up 
her  self-imposed  exile  there  upon  the  mountain  side. 
His  study  window  framed  her  little  cabin,  a  tuft  of 
brown  upon  the  hill's  green  robe.  In  the  near  fore- 
ground was  the  grave-yard,  where  gleamed  a  costly 
monument.  Aye,  it  was  more  than  twenty  years 
since  his  sister  had  been  laid  to  sleep  beneath  that 
stone.  Oh,  double  loss!  And  he  had  been  left  to 
gaze  from  that  window  over  the  tomb  of  the  dead, 
up  to  the  tomb  of  the  living, — to  look  and  long  for 
twenty  years ! 

Why  had  she  afterward  grown  so  hard  and  em- 
bittered, so  inapproachable?  Surely,  she  had  for- 
given ;  for  had  she  not  risen  from  her  own  bed  with 
an  infant  and  gone  up  to  Eldhurst  on  that  day  of 
gloom  and  death,  when  the  little  Lilys  had  been 
left  wailing  and  motherless?  And  yet  it  had  been 
but  a  momentary  softening,  for  Christ  had  no  dwell- 
ing-place in  her  heart  and  life  now,  there  in  the 
humble  home  where  Marah  Menendez  lived  in  loneli- 
ness with  her  son. 

He  recalled  how,  after  a  decade  of  widowhood, 
she  had  led  her  little  Paul,  climbing  the  toilsome 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  23 

path  to  Eldhurst  House  and  stood  him  before  Pierce 
Eldreth,  as  the  brothers-in-law  sat  in  the  western 
veranda.  It  was  the  first  day  she  had  set  foot  upon 
the  hill  since  Edith's  death,  and  now  Paul  was  al- 
most ten  years  old. 

"  Since  Fate  has  robbed  me  of  the  man  I  loved," 
and  how  her  dark  beauty  had  glowed  as  she  spoke, 
standing  with  her  hands  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
wondering  boy,  "  has  robbed  you  of  a  willing  slave 
who  owed  you  much, — life,  protection,  all;  since 
Marah  Maitland  can  owe  Pierce  Eldreth  naught,  I 
bring  you  all  I  have,  this  boy  of  mine.  His  services 
are  yours  till  the  ten  years  bring  him  to  manhood 
and  leave  me  no  longer  the  say-so.  Such  was  the 
wish  of  Manuel  Menendez  who,  he  confessed,  owed 
his  all  to  you.  The  daughter  she  left  you,  an 
Allan  and  an  Eldreth  both,  will  find  use  for  one 
more  slave.  It  is  hard  to  give  him  up,  his  child 
and  mine,  but  Marah  Maitland  never  owes,  never 
forgets." 

Pierce  Eldreth  had  heard  her  through,  a  bitter 
smile  upon  his  face,  had  said :  "  Thus  should  it  be, 
thus  shall  it  be,"  and  coldly  signed  her  dismissal. 

Marah  had  bowed  low  and  deferentially  to  hide 
the  cruel  light  in  her  eyes ;  had  turned  with  just  one 
backward  glance  to  note  how  Eldhurst's  master 
stood  perplexed  before  that  fearless  boy  with  his 
blue  poet-eyes  and  hair  of  spinner's  gold ;  had  passed 


24  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

where  he,  Edwin  Allan  sat,  had  laughed  her  mirth- 
less laugh,  muttering: 

"  The  debt  shall  all  be  paid,  Pierce  Eldreth,  all. 
Thus  should  it  be,  thus  shall  it  be.  Amen." 

As  rose-trees  on  either  side  the  stone  wall  of  a 
garden,  so  grew  those  three  children,  Richard  and 
Lilys  Eldreth  and  Paul  Menendez :  the  two  within 
the  garden,  protected,  nurtured,  trained  with  care; 
the  one  without,  overlooked,  untrained ;  the  two  up- 
trellised  by  the  friendly  wall,  the  one  buffeted  and 
whipped  about  by  every  hostile  wind ;  all  climbing 
upward,  yet  ever  that  high  wall  between  the  two 
within  and  the  one  without  the  garden ;  though  near, 
yet  always  the  unmoved  wall  between;  though  the 
closest  companions,  even  playmates, — still  the  wall 
between ! 

Pierce  Eldreth,  proud  of  birth  and  unbroken 
family  line,  looked  on  and  smiling  boasted,  "  Blood 
will  tell."  And  once  the  Rector  had  heard  Marah 
repeat  the  words  while  looking  on  the  three  children 
at  play,  "  Ah,  blood  will  tell." 

And  he,  Edwin  Allan,  had  looked  on  and  vowed 
in  secret  to  help  the  friendless  boy  outside  the  wall; 
for  he  saw  the  angel  in  the  unhewn  marble  of  the 
character,  in  the  hapless  life  thus  bound  through 
youth  and  younger  manhood  to  such  a  "  slave- 
driver  "  as  Pierce  Eldreth  was  known  to  be 
throughout  Boulder  County.  Poor  Paul ! 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  25 

"  He  alas  ! 

Had  lived  but  on  this  earth  a  few  sad  years, 
And  so  his  lot  was  ordered  that  his  father 
First  turned  the  moments  of  awakening  life 
To  drops,  each  poisening  youth's  sweet  hope." 

Aye,  poor  Paul !  If  indeed,  blood  would  tell, 
what  then  of  the  blood  coursing  through  the  unfor- 
tunate boy's  veins?  his  mother,  with  her  misspent 
past ;  his  father,  author  of  some  unnamable  crime  in 
his  own  country,  a  crime  for  which  avenging  justice, 
gold-bought  for  a  time,  had  finally  overtaken  him, 
death  in  its  most  ignominious  form.  Yet,  despite 
this  double  heritage,  Edwin  Allan  had  undertaken 
character-building  for  this  offspring  of  crime  and 
passion.  For  was  it  not  for  just  such  as  he  that  the 
Pure  One  had  died  ?  .  And  today — 

Of  a  sudden  the  Rector  felt  his  eyes  clasped  by 
soft  fingers  and  a  girl-voice  cried : 

"Who  is  it?     Guess!" 

"  Lilys,"  he  exclaimed  as,  undoing  the  clasp  of 
memory  from  his  heart,  he  undid  her  fingers  from 
his  eyes  and  drew  the  girl  around  into  his  vision. 


26  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  II. 


MY  LADY  HEROINE. 

How  shall  I  write  her  down,  this  mountain  child  ? 
A  winged  flash  across  the  summer's  smile  ; 
A  tender  bud  up-pushing  toward  the  light  ; 
A  glancing  ray  upon  a  changeful  stream. 

How  shall  I  write  her  down  ?     A  winged  thing 
That  lures  to  vain  and  passionate  pursuit ; 
A  bud  with  dew  and  gladness  on  its  head  ; 
A  ray  from  heaven  to  'lumine  all  the  earth. 

How  shall  I  write  her  down  ?     Ah,  flitting  life, 
Hast  aught  save  gauzy  wings  and  wayward  will  ? 
O  bud,  once  opened  to  the  wooing  noon, 
And  wilt  thou  aught  deny  him,  aught  withhold  ? 
O  sun-born  ray,  once  caught  by  Love's  strong  lens, 
Mayst  thou  not  kindle  fires  unquenchable  ? 

"  WHAT,  Uncle,  dreaming  dreams  and  seeing 
visions  in  this  book-stuffed  room,  a  day  like  this 
when  my  blood  is  fairly  tingling  for  a  gallop  on 
Bonita  over  the  hills  against  the  wind?  I'd  go  yet 
this  afternoon  if  I  dared;  but  I  couldn't  get  back 
in  time  to  dress  for  dinner.  And  Paul  couldn't  go 
with  me  this  morning;  had  to  go  to  town  to  meet 
Mr.  Nolan  because  William's  wrist  was  too  stiff  to 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  27 

manage  the  sorrels.  Paul  is  always  made  to  do 
what  the  other  men  shirk.  But  even  if  he  should  be 
let  off,  he  isn't  a  bit  entertaining  any  more;  so 
grumpy  lately.  He'd  rather  poke  over  some  old 
book  than  to  amuse  me.  I  told  him  I  believed  he 
was  yearning  for  solitary  confinement;  that  was 
when  he  had  the  audacity  to  quote  to  me — to  me! 

'  There's  times  when  I'm's  unsociable  as  stone, 
An*  sorto  suffocate  to  be  alone  ; 
I'm  crowded  jest  to  think  that  folks  is  nigh, 
An'  can't  bear  nothin'  closer  than  the  sky. ' 

If  he  goes  with  me,  he  carries  his  head  up  among 
the  clouds  and  sees  nothing  lower  than  the  Peak; 
goes  with  me  '  in  the  flesh/  as  you  would  put  it, 
while  his  unwilling  spirit  is  miles  and  miles  away. 
Whatever  is  to  become  of  me?  " 

A  gesture  of  mock  despair,  a  childish  little  laugh 
that  rippled  off  into  the  sweet  lark-notes  of  a  song; 
then  she  perched  herself  up  on  the  arm  of  his  great 
chair  and  tried  hard  to  look  woful. 

"  I  fancy  Paul  has  something  more  to  do  than 
gather  ferns  for  My  Lady's  summer  house,"  smiled 
her  uncle,  "  Do  you  forget  all  that  your  father  heaps 
upon  his  young  shoulders,  especially  since  Ben  is 
having  his  rheumatism?  Nothing  goes  direct  to 
your  father.  Max  reports  matters  concerning  the 
Lower  Ranch  and  the  sheep  to  Paul ;  Webb  the  saw- 


28  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mill  affairs;  Wagner  the  crops;  and  even  Bradley 
the  quarry  matters,  and  through  Paul,  they  reach 
your  father.  He  will  eventually  take  Ben's  place  as 
foreman." 

"  That's  just  it,"  nodded  the  girl,  "  that  is  exactly 
what  I  am  complaining  of.  Do  you  forget  the  day 
Marah  first  brought  him  up  to  the  House?  Helene 
had  me  out  playing  in  the  summer  house.  Papa 
came  dragging  him  out  to  me  and  said :  '  Here, 
here's  some  one  for  you  to  boss.  He  is  for  you, 
exclusively.'  Helene  will  tell  you.  And  now,  after 
we've  played  and  ridden  and  read  and  had  such 
jolly  times  together  all  these  years,  now  when  the 
old  place  is  dull  as  a  graveyard,  and  summer  is  here, 
now  it's  '  Paul,  come  here,'  and  '  Paul,  go  there.' 
And  what  of  me  ?  Who  can  ride  so  well  or  find 
my  specimens?  Who  knows  the  paths  and  the 
mountains  so  well?  And  who  can  read  so  well,  or 
if  we  haven't  a  book  along,  who  can  tell  pretty 
stories  about  the  rocks  and  trees  and  flowers  till, 
though  we  are  alone  in  the  woods,  there  seem  to  be 
living,  breathing,  understanding  creatures  all  around 
us?  Pray,  what  of  me,  if  he  must  make  all  these 
stupid  reports  and  go  to  Denver  and  to  Boulder  on 
business  continually?  'Take  Pepito,'  Papa  says; 
but  I  will  not.  Pepito's  dull,  doesn't  know  quartz 
from  cobblestone,  and  he  isn't  company.  I  will  not 
do  without  Paul.  He  is  mine." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  29 

"  Softly,  child,  softly !  "  protested  her  uncle,  lay- 
ing a  cool  hand  across  her  pouting  red  lips,  "  Slave 
and  feudal  days  are  passed  and  gone,  the  days  when 
man  could  say  to  his  brother-man,  '  Thou  art 
mine,  thy  time,  thy  labor,  thine  all.' ' 

"  Not  here  at  Eldhurst.  Those  men  up  at  Quarry 
Town,  dull  as  the  blocks  they  hew,  mere  hands  to 
wield  the  drill  and  hammer;  Max's  herders,  as  un- 
thinking as  the  sheep  they  tend,  mere  feet  to  patrol 
the  sheep-folds;  Webb's  lumbermen,  not  nearly  so 
sensible  as  the  trees  they  fell  (if  half  of  Paul's  tree- 
legends  be  true),  mere  arms  to  swing  the  axe  and 
guide  the  saw :  aren't  they  all  dependent  upon  Papa  ? 
Doesn't  he  feed  and  clothe  and  shelter  them  and 
their  families?  Didn't  their  fathers  work  for 
grandpapa?  Are  not  employment,  pay,  protection 
anything?  He  thinks  for  them  just  as  the  head 
does  for  the  hands  and  the  feet,  for  what  more  are 
they?" 

"  It  is  your  father  speaks,  my  child,  for  of  these 
things  you  know  nothing.  Alas!  that  from  years 
of  my  teachings  you  have  gathered  no  crumb  of  the 
world-wide,  all-inclusive  love  of  God.  There  is  no 
caste  in  divine  love,  no  high  nor  low,  nor  rich  nor 
poor,  as  we  know  them.  God  gave  His  Son,  that 
whosoever  will  may  come." 

"  No  caste !  "  echoed  Lilys  scornfully,  "  The  half- 
breed  herder,  dirt,  dogs;  sheep-washing,  shearing, 


30  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

pasturing ;  to  eat,  to  sleep,  to  drink,  to  smoke.  Then 
you,  my  Uncle  and  Mr.  Howard,  both  students  still, 
books,  music,  reading;  thinking,  preaching,  advanc- 
ing; to  live,  to  rise,  to  do  good,  to  be  remembered. 
Gaze  on  this  picture  and  then  on  that,  the  one  and 
the  other,  and  then  say  there  is  no  caste,  divine  as 
well  as  human." 

"  The  one  has  a  soul  as  precious  in  God's  sight  as 
has  the  other,  ponder  that,"  admonished  her  uncle 
impressively.  Then  he  added  as  he  lovingly 
smoothed  back  her  hair,  "  And  Paul  ?  In  which  of 
your  pictures  does  he  belong,  little  Lady  Aristocrat? 
Where  shall  we  classify  him,  slave  or  equal,  since 
there  seems  to  be  no  middle  ground  at  Eldhurst  ?  " 
"  Who,  Paul  ?  Why  you  know  without  asking." 
"  Aye,  that  I  do,"  averred  her  uncle,  "  Listen :  let 
me  tell  you  how  he  has  spent  his  nights  these  past 
years,  while  you  and  Richard  and  your  guests  were 
banqueting  and  dancing  or  sleeping  up  at  the  House. 
He  knows  these  book-friends  as  well  as  I  do,  for  we 
have  toiled  and  delved  by  night  after  his  weary  days 
of  fatiguing  manual  labor,  I  have  taken  him  the 
way  I  have  taken  you,  nay,  farther,  higher;  and  he 
has  broken  a  wider  way,  and  blazed  many  a  by-path 
unknown  to  you.  Where  you  have  swallow- 
skimmed,  he  has  paused,  asking  when  and  how  and 
why.  For  his  is  the  rare  spirit  to  whom  all  toil  is 
sweet,  so  Truth  be  at  the  farthest  goal.  Book- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  31 

lover,  nature-worshipper,  poet-soul — But  I  am  for- 
getting. The  two  pictures,  the  one  and  the  other. 
Where  shall  we  classify  the  son  of  Manuel 
Menendez?  " 

Lilys's  large  dark  eyes  grew  thoughtful,  unusually 
so  for  them,  as  she  admitted  : 

"  Yes,  I  know.  He  makes  Nina's  Bible-class  out- 
lines and  does  all  Papa's  book-keeping  and  estimat- 
ing, and  writes  all  of  his  letters,  and  meets  the  busi- 
ness callers.  He  is  all  you  say,  I  suppose.  I  never 
thought  of  it  before.  But,"  and  pride  flashed  up 
into  the  eyes,  "  for  all  that  he  is  a  Menendez,  son 
of  a  peon  herdsman  and  of  my  mother's  serving- 
maid,  while  I,  though  no  scholar,  am  an  Allan  and 
an  Eldreth,  and  Papa  says  blood  will  tell.  Now, 
uncle,  you  know  you  couldn't  call  him  a  gentle- 
man." 

The  Rector  reached  for  a  small  morocco  Amiel 
in  the  book-case,  turned  its  leaves  with  the  deft 
familiarity  of  the  true  bookman  and  read : 

"'Every  one  may  become  a  gentleman  even  though  he 
may  be  born  in  the  gutter It  is  the  birth- 
right of  every  one  to  rise.  A  man  may  be  born  rich  and 
noble, — he  is  not  born  a  gentleman.  A  gentleman  is  the  free 
man,  the  man  who  is  stronger  than  things,  and  believes  in 
personality  as  superior  to  ...  rank  and  power.  It 
means  a  character  which  possesses  itself,  a  force  which  gov- 
erns itself,  a  liberty  which  affirms  and  regulates  itself  accord- 
ing to  the  type  of  true  dignity It  is  more  moral 

than  intellectual He  watches  over  his  language, 

manners,  .  .  .  has  dominion  over  his  instincts  and  pas- 
sions.' 


32  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

And  in  the  light  of  this  definition,  is  not  Paul 
Menenclez  one  of  God's  own  gentlemen  ?  " 

His  companion  laughed  carelessly.  ''  Your  ques- 
tion isn't  in  the  catechism,  Mr.  Minister,  or  else  I 
don't  know  my  lesson.  Maybe  he  is  one  of  those 
prove-the-rule  exceptions.  I  don't  know.  I  don't 
care."  Then  the  eyes  grew  merry  again  as  was 
their  wont.  "  So  he  has  come  by  night  to  study? 
has  had  a  secret  from  me  all  these  years?  Ah,  he 
shall  pay  for  this  this  very  week.  I'll  make  him  talk 
by  way  of  penance.  He  shall  suffer.  For  he  dis- 
likes '  full  speech; '  quotes  '  Silence  is  vocal  if  we 
listen  well,'  and  once  even  recommended  the  rest- 
cure  for  tongues.  For  he  takes  little  liberties  of 
that  sort,  for  all  he  is  so  humble  in  the  presence  of 
the  Little  Mistress." 

Her  uncle  smiled.  "  Since  I  am  betraying  my 
disciple  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  I  may  as  well 
tell  it  all,  though  he  wouldn't  thank  me.  For  a  long 
time  now  he  has  taken  all  my  work  in  the  Mission 
Night  School  up  at  the  quarries." 

"  I  am  sure  Marah  does  not  know  all  this.  For 
once  I  asked  her  if  he  might  not  study  with  me, 
thinking  he  might  help  me,  you  know.  She  only 
laughed  in  that  provoking  way  of  hers  and  said: 
'  Manuel  Menendez's  son  study  the  classics ! '  But 
she  would  not  say  yes.  Who  helps  Paul  in  the 
night  school,  Uncle?" 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  33 

"Nina  with  the  older  ones;  Ruth  Bradley  with 
the  little  folks;  but  either  he  or  I  must  be  there,  for 
Ruth  is  uneducated,  and  both  girls  have  to  cling 
pretty  close  to  the  books." 

"  And  does  he  ...  do  you  and  he  love  Nina 
and  Ruth  for  helping  you?  " 

"  Very  much,  dear.  They  are  good  girls,  with 
hearts  full  of  love  for  those  less  fortunate  than  they." 

To  his  surprise,  Lilys  suddenly  leaned  her  head 
upon  his  shoulder  and  burst  into  tears. 

"  My  dear  child,"  he  began,  when  as  suddenly  she 
brushed  away  her  tears,  sprang  up  and  laughed  her 
girlish  laugh. 

"  Oh,  it's  nothing,  Uncle.  Your  sadness  is  con- 
tagious. Confess,  now :  when  I  first  came  you 
were  sad;  your  thoughts  were  twenty  miles  away." 

"  Say,  rather,  twenty  years  away.  It  was  longer 
ago  than  that  I  last  heard  the  solo  you  sang,  '  The 
Suppliant.' ' 

"  Ah !  Mr.  Howard  didn't  want  me  to  sing  it  ; 
should  have  known  that  would  determine  me 
the  more  to  do  it.  Marah  sang  it  when  she  was  his 
soprano.  Was  Marah's  voice  so  beautiful  ?  I  never 
heard  her,  and  Paul  says  she  never  sings  around 
home.  You  promised  sometime  to  tell  me  her  story, 
didn't  you?  Was  it  true  that  Mr.  Howard  once 
loved  her?  Couldn't  some  suitor  have  saved  her 
from  throwing  herself  away  on  Papa's  head  shep- 


34  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

herd  ?  How  could  she  do  it  ?  He  must  have  been  a 
very  wicked  man,  for  Mr.  Howard  says  his  hanging 
was  a  just  judgment.  What  had  he  done?  " 

"  Where  shall  I  begin  answering,  Senorita  In- 
quisitor? Yes,  Marah's  voice  was  marvelous.  The 
Mexicans  of  the  Lower  Ranch  called  her  '  Senorita 
Pajara'  (Miss  Bird)  and  the  Indians  gave  her  a 
name  signifying  '  Singing  Feather.'  But,  Lilys, 
you  must  go.  You  have  yet  to  dress  for  dinner  and 
your  father  was  never  a  patient  man.  Your  ques- 
tions will  keep." 

"  Yes,  and  you'll  put  me  off  the  next  time,  just  as 
you  are  doing  now.  Helene  always  evades  when  I 
ask  her ;  and  the  once  I  asked  Papa  you  can't  imagine 
how  cross  he  was;  said  it  was  an  evidence  of  low 
taste  to  take  the  slightest  interest  in  people  of  that 
class,  and  he  didn't  want  to  hear  me  mention  her  or 
her  tribe  ever  again.  And  it  just  makes  me  want 
to  know  about  her  more  than  ever.  I  suppose  Paul 
knows,  but  of  course  I  always  felt  a  delicacy  about 
mentioning  either  of  his  parents  to  him.  Tell  me 
one  thing:  Was  Marah  ever  sweet  and  lovable? 
She  is  so  harsh  and  cold  now  to  every  one.  Paul 
says  he  cannot  recall  the  time  she  ever  kissed  him, 
except  he  made  her.  And  they  say  he  is  so  good 
to  her." 

'  Yes,  once  she  was  loving  and  beautiful  as  a 
painter's  model.  One  man's  selfishness  changed  all. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  35 

But  go,  my  child.  The  story  is  too  deeply  sad  for 
your  ears.  You  would  not  half  understand  it — 
thank  God !  Go,  roam  the  hills  and  know  the  ways 
of  bees  and  birds,  the  love  of  rose  and  nightingale, 
no  gust  of  passion  stronger  than  your  own  April 
tears.  Go,  hear  the  pretty  legends  Paul  tells  of 
trees  and  flowers  and  the  winged  things.  Paul  is 
a  safe  and  a  wise  teacher.  Go,  be  a  child  in  heart 
and  life.  Let  no  one  persuade  you  otherwise  for 
many  a  day.  If  you  love  me,  you  will  please  me 
best  by  remembering  what  I  am  saying.  There  is 
time  enough — Ah,  Paul !  Come  in." 


36  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  LOWLY  HERO. 

THE  newcomer  was  tall  and  lithe  and  fair,  with  a 
touch  of  sun  upon  hair  and  cheek.  His  was  a  face 
to  be  remembered,  a  face  that,  having  once  seen,  you 
felt  unreasoningly  drawn  to  see  again  and  again. 
The  eyes  were  grave  yet  marvelously  tender,  and  the 
soul  that  looked  through  them  attracted  irresist- 
ibly because  it  gave  only  momentary  and  but  half- 
revealing  glimpses  of  itself;  and  you  could  but  feel 
that  behind  that  dreamy,  poetic  half-smile  there  lay 
a  will  that,  however  velvet-fingered,  was  iron- 
wristed  and  steel-sinewed.  There  would  be  no  mo- 
ments of  hopeless  hesitation  in  his  presence.  He 
was  by  nature  positive,  decisive,  possessing  that 
rare  ability  to  adjust  and  weigh  arguments  during 
their  presenting,  so  that  his  "  Yes  "  or  "  No  "  often 
seemed  hasty.  He  would  think  rapidly  and  act 
promptly  in  emergencies.  Assertive,  virile  strength 
spoke  in  the  vigorous,  well-knit  limbs,  the  strong, 
shapely  hands,  the  firm-set  mouth.  He  was  a  man's 
man  from  his  own  choice,  yet,  as  such,  was  uncon- 
sciously attractive  to  women. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  37 

Lilys  turned  a  radiant,  welcoming  face  to  him 
as  he  closed  the  study  door,  and  had  the  Rector 
known  young  hearts  as  well  as  he  knew  old  books, 
he  might  have  noted  the  swift,  involuntary  meeting 
of  their  eyes,  the  something  inexplicable,  something 
primal,  interchanged,  all  unconsciously,  in  the  flash- 
ing glance. 

"  I  thought  you  never  would  come,"  she  cried 
innocently  enough,  "  but  now  you're  here,  please 
persuade  Uncle  that  I'm  not  the  infant  he  thinks 
me.  Why,  I  am  nearly  twenty  and  a  half  years 
old ;  as  old  as  you  are.  For  Helene  told  me  that 
Marah  said  you  were  just  three  days  old  when 
she  came  up  to  nurse  my  Mamma  the  day  I  was 
born.  Three  days  are  not  so  much  to  boast  of, 
Senorito." 

"  Mr.  Allan  will  tell  you  that  I  am  the  older  by 
at  least  a  century,"  he  replied  with  a  flitting  smile, 
and  as  he  sank  into  a  chair  near  the  library  table 
he  did  in  truth  look  old,  even  ill.  During  the 
silence  that  ensued,  he  rested  his  elbow  on  the 
table,  his  head  on  his  hand,  and  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
on  the  carpet. 

The  girl  moved  to  him  as  to  a  magnet,  moved 
away  to  the  window,  but  returned  as  though  irre- 
sistibly impelled  and  hovered  near  him,  pulling  the 
red  poppies  from  her  corsage  bouquet  and  lightly 
pelting  the  hand  resting  on  the  table. 


38  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Paul,  this  afternoon  late,  after  our  dinner,  you 
know,  I  want  to  go  " 

He  shook  his  head,  still  not  looking  up. 

"  I  am  to  drive  Mr.  Nolan  back  to  catch  the  Den- 
ver train." 

"  Of  course !  "  sarcastically,  "  I  never  want  you 
here  of  late  but  you've  been  told  to  do  something 
else." 

She  endured  the  second  long  pause  as  long  as  pos- 
sible, then  exclaimed  with  childish  petulance,  glanc- 
ing from  him  to  her  uncle : 

"  Oh,  such  a  pair  of  you — such  a  polite,  cheerful, 
amusing  pair !  Some  day  I'm  going  to  run  off  from 
this  humdrum  old  Eldhurst,  where  they'd  rather 
do  figuring  and  make  reports  than  amuse  the  only 
girl  on  the  place, — away  off  ever  so  far  from  the 
same  old  mountains,  same  old  sunsets :  where  it's 
latin  and  botany  and  choir  practice  from  morning 
till  night,  and  piano  lessons  and  busy  uncles  and 
cross  brothers.  Then  you'll  be  sorry  and  wish  for 
the  good  old  times  we've  had  galloping  over  the 
hills,  and  reading  and  singing.  And  you'll  miss  me, 
too,  with  no  one  to  sing  to  you,  and  no  one  to 
boss  you,  and " 

She  paused.  Her  uncle  smiled  at  her  medita- 
tively, his  thoughts  far  away,  and  said  nothing. 
Paul's  head  drooped  lower  on  his  hand  and  he  too 
remained  silent. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  39 

"  I'll  not  stay  another  minute,"  declared  the  girl 
indignantly.  "  I'm  going  to  find  Sarah  and  some- 
thing good  to  eat.  Then  I'll  get  Nina  and  go  up  to 
the  House  and  see  if  Dixie  and  Bert  Delacy  can't  be 
more  entertaining  than  you  two."  And  flinging  the 
last  red  poppy,  she  flounced  out  of  the  study,  bang- 
ing the  door  behind  her.  They  heard  her  tinkle 
the  treble  of  the  piano  in  the  adjoining  room,  and 
her  laughing,  bubbling  voice  reached  them: 

"  Oh,  I  love  the  fields  and  hills, 

And  the  shady  woodland  rills, 
Where  never  earthly  cares  invade  ; 

But  love  and  grief  and  pain, 

They  can  never,  never  reign 
In  the  heart  of  merry  mountain  maid. 

Oh,  the  wind's  soft  kiss, 

This  my  deepest  bliss, 
And  I  follow  him  through  glen  and  glade  ; 

Oh,  the  dewdrop  clear, 

This  my  only  tear, 
Such  a  merry,  merry  mountain  maid  !  " 

The  Rector  smiled,  then  sighed,  as  the  melody 
went  diminishing  off  toward  the  kitchen;  then  he 
turned  to  speak  to  his  companion,  but  stopped  short 
at  sight  of  his  face. 

Very  evidently  the  young  man  had  forgotten  the 
Rector's  presence,  for  he  had  gathered  all  the  pop- 
pies and  was  first  pressing  the  silken  petals  to  his 


40  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

lips,  devoutly,  hungrily,  then  gazing  down  at  the 
kiss-crushed  flowers  as  a  priest  might  yearn  above 
his  crucifix. 

"  Paul !  "  Astonishment,  reproach,  grief,  quiv- 
ered in  Edwin  Allan's  tone.  "  Paul!  "  he  repeated. 
The  younger  man  did  not  lift  his  head.  So  well 
he  knew  his  beloved  teacher's  voice  that  he  could 
read  disappointment  and  rebuke  in  the  very  intona- 
tion. But  a  greater  pain  was  at  his  heart  and  its 
lines  were  etching  upon  his  sensitive  face. 

"  They  are  going  to  take  her  away — in  a  week." 
His  voice  was  a  half  sob. 

"  The  DeLacys  ?  Ah !  Howard  and  I  have  urged 
it  for  a  year.  We  shall  miss  her  as  we  would  miss 
the  sunshine — 

But  he  spoke  to  unhearing  ears. 

"  A  week  ....  a  week,"  muttered  his  com- 
panion, as  though  unable  to  grasp  the  idea,  "  only 
seven  days  and  seven  nights  to  cry  to  God  to  stop 
the  sun  and  stars — and  then  away,  away,  not 
here  .  .  with — "  He  broke  off,  and  flinging  his 
arms  across  the  table,  hid  his  face  down  upon  them. 

The  elder  man  stood  with  compressed  lips  and 
sorrowful  eyes. 

"  I  could  never  have  dreamed  this  of  you,  Paul," 
he  expostulated,  "  you,  who  realize " 

But  the  other  silenced  him  with  an  eloquent 
gesture  as  he  sprang  erect. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  41 

"  I  know  all  you  would  say,  Mr.  Allan — the 
chasm  between  Pierce  Eldreth's  daughter  and  the 
son  of  Manuel  Menendez.  I  am  well  aware  that 
Eldhurst  is  not  in  democratic  America  where  men 
are  born  equal,  but  in  feudal  Britian  where  caste- 
lines  are  dead-lines.  I  realize  the  value  they  set 
upon  high  birth  and  pure  blood.  I  know  where  I'm 
classed.  I  know  that  when  she  wants  to  ride  she 
says,  '  Paul,  bring  my  pony,'  just  as  her  father  says, 
'  Pepito,  black  my  shoes.'  No  later  than  this  morn- 
ing I  heard  her  telling  her  father  that  she  '  wanted  ' 
me  all  forenoon  and  when  he  denied  her,  '  Did  you 
not  give  him  to  me  ?  '  she  asked,  precisely  as  though 
I  were  a  piece  of  horse-flesh  or  a  bit  of  furniture. 
Why  in  God's  name  do  you  think  I  have  stayed  on 
year  after  year,  to  endure  taunts  and  slights  and 
insults  if  not  because " 

He  ended  by  throwing  out  his  arms  in  a  helpless 
way,  and  then  began  hurriedly  walking  the  floor. 

"  But  this  is  worse  than  folly ;  it  is  insanity." 

The  young  man  turned  upon  him  fiercely. 

"  Who  more  insane  than  the  pride-blind  father 
who  allows  such  daily,  almost  hourly,  intercourse? 
For  ten  years  we  have  been  as  substance  and  shadow, 
she  and  I.  I  have  served  her,  followed  her,  pro- 
tected her,  humored,  obeyed,  amused  her;  have 
heard  her  voice,  known  her  inmost  thoughts.  Am 
I  made  of  wood,  does  he  think,  or  that  I  am  a 


42  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

boy?  He  has  known  my  blood  and  parentage,  yet 
there  have  been  no  barriers,  no  restraints,  save  of 
my  own  making.  Had  she  been  other  than  the 
child  she  is,  despite  her  twenty  years,  had  I  not 
been  what  Edwin  Allan's  pupil  must  needs  be,  God 
alone  knows  what  might  have  befallen." 

"  Ah,  I  have  been  much  to  blame  in  this,"  mur- 
mured the  Rector,  "  I  see  how  blind  we  have  all 
been.  Why  have  you  remained  ?" 

Paul  laughed  bitterly.  "  Because  it  was  the  re- 
quest of  him  who,  dying,  left  me  the  legacy  of 
tainted  blood,  a  tarnished  name  and  a  hopeless  debt 
to  Pierce  Eldreth ;  because,  while  I  was  yet  too 
young  to  understand,  my  mother  refettered  the 
chain  that  bound  me  here;  because  I,  myself,  gave 
him  my  maturer  word  to  stay,  one  day  when  she 
had  been  half  gracious  to  me.  And  so, — here — I 
— am,  with  no  personality,  with  nothing  to  distin- 
guish me  from  the  horse-trainer,  the  sheep-tender, 
the  stone-cutter;  the  semblance  of  a  man,  yet  after 
all  but  one  of  the  conveniences  of  this  well-appointed 
estate." 

He  stopped  in  his  walk  before  the  chair  of  his 
teacher,  his  strong  gaze  fastened  upon  him. 

"  No,  no,  my  father  was  not  the  most  unfortunate 
of  men,  ill  as  was  his  fortune.  For  oh,  believe  me, 
they  were  wrong  who  said  that  the  very  worst  use 
to  which  a  man  can  be  put  is  to  hang  him.  That 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  43 

is  not  the  worst.  A  man  may  be  a  bondslave  in 
God's  freest  country;  he  may  be  manacled  by  the 
debts  and  sins  of  the  dead;  he  may  be  weighted  by 
the  ball-and-chain  of  a  master's  malice,  and,  thus 
shackled,  may  be  made  the  daily  scorn  of  scorners. 
Add  then  a  soul  within  him  consumed  with  love  for 
that  master's  only  daughter,  a  love  which,  if  ever 
wrung  from  him,  would  be  spurned  as  insult — or, 
hold!  does  the  wretch  hunger?  toss  him  the 
stone,  indifference.  Does  he  thirst  ?  the  gall  of  pity. 
Add  but  these,  and  what  is  mere  death  to  such 
depths  of  misery?  Pray,  is  it  worse  to  die  dis- 
honored than  to  live  dishonored?  Tell  me,  Edwin 
Allan." 

The  Rector  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  groaning : 
"  Ah,  I  see  it  all  now.  I  have  been  to  blame,  greatly 
to  blame." 

There  was  a  lengthened  pause,  during  which  the 
younger  man  stood  with  heaving  chest,  staring 
down  at  the  drooping  poppies  in  his  hand.  With  a 
quick,  passionate  gesture  he  scattered  them  upon  the 
carpet. 

"  But  I  am  going  away  now." 
"  Why  go  when  she  starts  in  a  week  ?  " 
"  I  am  going  for  the  week, — tomorrow,  to-night 
yet.     I  have  endured  all  I  can." 

"  My  brother  will  not  consent.  He  himself  goes 
to-night  to  attend  the  Stockmen's  Association  in 


44  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Denver  next  week.  Ben  is  still  laid  up.  Eldreth 
has  the  right  to  your  time  and  services  until  you  are 
twenty-one :  you  have  given  him  the  right.  He  will 
never  consent." 

"  He  must.  He  can  not  refuse  me  one  week.  I 
haven't  had  a  day  for  two  years,  not  since  Bradley 
and  I  went  to  Ward  prospecting.  Ben  wants  me 
to  take  him  to  Idaho  Springs  for  the  baths.  The 
Lower  Ranch  should  be  visited.  I  must  get  away 
on  some  plea.  Help  me,  for  I  can  not  stay."  And 
he  passed  his  hand  over  his  damp  forehead  in  a 
helpless  way  quite  unlike  anything  his  teacher  had 
ever  observed  in  him. 

"  So  you  would  break  your  thrice-pledged  word 
for  want  of  a  little  self-control?  You  would  run 
away  from  your  duties  when  you  know  how  much 
rests  upon  you,  duties  no  other  can  assume?  Not 
the  responsibilities  of  Eldhurst's  management  alone, 
but  there  are  the  schools  which,  with  my  other 
work,  have  outgrown  my  strength.  You  would  go, 
when  you  know  that  if  Eldreth  makes  the  proposed 
cut  in  wages,  either  at  the  quarries  or  at  the  saw-mill, 
there  will  be  trouble  which  only  you  or  I  can  avert  ? 
You  would  leave  your  mother  who  each  month 
grows  more  frail?  You  would  go,  thereby  ack- 
nowledging your  weakness,  your  want  of  reliance 
in  the  Strong  Arm?  I  tell  you  such  weakness  is 
not  remedied  by  flight.  A  coward  never  won  a 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  45 

victory.  '  To  him  that  overcometh '  is  the  promise 
made.  Be  yourself,  Paul, — stay,  conquer !  " 

But  the  young  man  shook  his  head. 

"  You  don't  know  what  you  are  asking,  man.  It 
may  be  weakness  to  go;  it  is  madness  to  remain. 
She  would  be  by  my  side,  as  she  always  is,  and  I, 
knowing  there  were  but  seven  more  days,  I  might — 
Let  me  tell  you  one  incident.  It  is  nothing  to  her 
discredit,  for  she  is  as  innocent  as  a  baby.  Besides, 
we  have  grown  up  here  together.  A  few  days  ago 
I  was  riding  past  the  old  orchard  when  she  called  me 
to  come  to  her.  I  found  her  under  a  high-branching 
tree,  trying  to  see  how  many  eggs  a  certain  nest 
contained  of  a  bird  she'd  been  watching.  There  was 
nothing  about  for  her  to  stand  on.  I  tried  to  pull 
the  limb  down,  but  still  she  could  not  see.  She 
turned  to  me  angrily.  *  Well,  what  are  you  stand- 
ing there  for,  stupid ! '  she  cried,  stamping  her  foot, 
'  Lift  me  up,  can't  you  ?  '  I  took  her  in  my  arms 
and  held  her  while  she  prattled  about  the  number 
of  eggs  and  the  color,  and  did  I  think  there  would  be 
more  or  was  Madame  Robin  sitting?  and  did  I 
know  any  more  legends  about  robin-red-breasts? 
What  was  I  to  her?  A  means  to  an  end;  a  step- 
ladder  would  have  served  her  as  well;  while  to  me 
— good  God !  and  you  talk  of  self-control — you, 
whose  temperate  blood  flows  evenly,  who  have 
dealt  so  long  with  the  spirit  that  you've  forgotten 


46  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

what  it  is  to  be  flesh  and  blood.  I  tell  you  again, 
you  don't  know  what  you  are  asking  when  you 
counsel  me  to  stay.  There's  a  limit,"  and  again  the 
usteady  hand  across  the  forehead,  as  he  turned  to- 
ward the  door. 

But  his  teacher  intercepted  him.  '''  There  is  an- 
other side  to  all  this,  and  I  must  show  it  to  you, 
whether  you  go  or  stay.  What  I  am  about  to  say 
will  hurt,  but  neither  of  us  has  ever  yet  shrunk  from 
a  truth  because  it  was  painful.  Let  us  suppose  it 
possible  that  you  win  the  love  of  Lilys  Eldreth. 
What  then?  Whatever  doubts  you  may  have  of 
your  own  strength,  I,  your  master,  do  not  fear  that 
you  will  ever  bring  to  woman  '  that  only  woe  which 
even  love  is  powerless  to  console.'  That  is  not  in 
the  realm  of  the  possible.  What  then?  Marriage. 
Now,  I  know  Pierce  Eldreth  as  few  know  him,  his 
thorough  worldliness,  his  inordinate  pride,  his  un- 
bounded ambition  for  his  children.  He  would 
be  unforgiving,  inexorable.  She  would  be  disin- 
herited, forever  cut  off  and  set  adrift  from  her 
family  and  social  moorings.  All  her  life  she  has 
had  ease,  luxury,  indulgences,  high  social  position, 
attention  from  the  exclusive  circle  within  the  select 
circle.  These  are  the  very  air  she  breathes.  Doubt- 
less she  would  fling  all  away  for  the  man  of  her 
choice,  like  any  other  loving  woman,  but  afterward 
she  would  awake  to  find  life  without  them  unbear- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  47 

able.  You  might  win  wealth  for  her,  give  her  ease, 
luxury  and  indulgences,  your  whole  life  and  love. 
But — forgive  me,  Paul,  you  know  that  you  are  as 
dear  to  me  as  a  son  could  be ;  but  the  world  has  dis- 
tinctions; God  knows  you  have  found  that  bitterly 
true.  For  all  you  are  worthy,  her  equal  in  all 
senses  save  one,  yet  to  Pierce  Eldreth  and  his  world 
that  one  eclipses  all  the  others.  And  remember, 
she  has  been  bred  in  his  world,  has  been  saturated 
with  his  doctrine  till  she  talks  with  his  voice,  sees 
with  his  eyes,  has  been  so  drilled  in  his  creed  that  she 
can  answer  by  rote.  She  is  as  proud  as  he,  not  so 
worldly  because  as  yet  inexperienced.  But,  sup- 
posing she  yielded  and  united  with  one  her  social 
inferior,  it  is  my  solemn  belief  that  very  soon  she 
would  wake  to  deplore,  and  live  to  regret.  Your 
world  could  not  be  made  her  world.  She  would  be 
out  of  her  native  element.  You  could  very  quickly 
adjust  yourself  to  hers,  but  not  she  to  yours.  Paul, 
dear  lad,  I  have  been  unsparing,  but  have  I  not 
spoken  truth?" 

The  young  man  was  standing  with  his  face  turned 
away,  one  hand  strongly  clenched.  It  was  only  upon 
the  repetition  of  the  question  that  he  said  in  a 
strained  voice : 

:<  Yes,  your  reasoning  is  right,  but  your  supposi- 
tion is  inconceivable,  absurd;  so  your  fears  are  al- 
together groundless." 


48  THIS  WAS  A.MAN. 

"  But  if  you  find  you  must  stay,  promise  me, 
Paul- 

The  pause  was  long  and  painful  to  both.  Then 
the  young  man  turned  slowly,  gave  the  other  his 
hand  through  a  speaking  silence,  and  was  gone. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  49 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DINNER  AND  DISCUSSION. 

DINNER  was  ending  at  Eldhurst.  Lilys  had  been 
merry  throughout  the  meal,  as  fresh  and  lovely  as 
the  floral  decorations,  as  sparkling  as  the  rare  wines 
served.  John  Howard,  from  the  other  end  of  the 
table,  smiled  upon  her  fondly  and  sadly;  her  father, 
absorbed  as  he  was  in  his  discussion  with  Lawyer 
Nolan,  glanced  at  her  from  time  to  time  with 
parental  pride;  while  DeLacy  took  no  pains  to  con- 
ceal his  growing  passion. 

But  Eldreth  was  chiefly  immersed  in  his  discus- 
sion, the  subjects  being  those  upon  which  he  held 
pronounced  opinions. 

"  You  see,"  he  was  saying,  "  the  walking  delegate 
has  heretofore  had  the  good  sense  to  keep  away 
from  Eldhurst,  till  this  braying  ass,  Ingham,  came. 
He  keeps  well  out  of  my  sight,  for  he  knows  what 
I  think  of  his  organization-for-the-working-man 
nonsense.  I'll  give  him  more  than  a  hint  if  I  get 
hold  of  him.  Bradley  inclines  too  much  toward 
union  views  now,  and  he's  too  good  a  foreman  to 
lose." 


50  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Of  course,"  returned  the  old  Chorister  smiling, 
"  you  or  Nolan,  either  one,  can  outdo  me  in  an  argu- 
ment, how  then  can  I  face  the  two  of  you  ?  How- 
ever, after  listening  to  you,  I  am  of  my  own  humble 
opinion  still.  I  believe  in  both  the  organization  and 
the  elevation  of  the  laboring  classes,  else  why  would 
I  be  here?  Nina  gives  her  time  to  Allan's  mission 
school  up  at  the  quarries  and  besides  the  church 
music,  I  sometimes  go  up  to  the  mill  to  help  young 
Baxter  with  his  Sunday  services.  Ah,  Pierce,  if 
Edwin  were  here,  he  could  present  our  side  so  well 
that  I  should  have  only  to  sit  back  and  furnish  the 
applause." 

"  Edwin  and  I  have  some  spirited  tilts,"  laughed 
Eldreth,  "  I  won't  venture  who  has  the  most  broken 
lances  up  to  date.  But  what  does  a  book-worm  and 
preacher  know  about  handling  such  men  as  I  have 
to  deal  with  on  the  ranches,  at  the  quarries  and  up 
in  the  pines?  Better  stick  to  his  church  and  his 
school,  in  both  of  which,  it's  my  opinion,  he's  wast- 
ing time.  Both  you  and  Edwin  might  be  edifying 
large  and  fashionable  congregations  in  Denver, 
judging  from  the  '  calls  '  you've  ignored,  instead  of 
casting  pearls  before  these  Swedes  and  Mexicans. 
You  see,"  turning  to  the  lawyer,  "  my  mother, 
Emeline  Huntington-Eldreth,  was  a  devout  church- 
woman,  rest  her  soul!  religious  in  the  superlative, 
and  fully  persuaded  that  she  had  many  miraculous 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  51 

answers  to  prayer.  She  was  great-great-grand- 
daughter of  Samuel  Huntington  of  Connecticut, 
one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration,  and  nothing 
if  not  pious.  One  of  her  '  answers  '  was  the  preser- 
vation of  my  life  through  a  fever;  and  she  made  my 
father  promise  her  on  her  last  bed  that  he  would 
build  a  mission  church  here  to  commemorate  my 
recovery,  which  she  deemed  a  gift  out  of  hand  from 
the  Lord  Himself.  She  died  in  the  East.  My 
father  kept  his  vow.  No  sooner  was  this  raw  land 
his,  even  before  the  house  was  completed,  than  up 
went  the  church,  altar,  organ  and  all,  and  the  rec- 
tory, and  Allan,  then  a  struggling  young  New  Eng- 
land preacher  with  missionary  instincts,  who  must 
come  west  health-seeking,  took  the  charge.  After 
the  quarries  opened,  and  the  village  of  tenant  cot- 
tages was  built  for  the  men  and  their  families,  these 
added  to  the  regular  ranch-hands  and  the  colony  of 
Mexicans  at  the  Lower  Ranch,  gave  him  a  '  field,' 
where  he's  squandered  time  and  talent  ever  since. 
And  here  must  join  him  his  college  friend,  Howard, 
who  must  bring  his  daughter  with  a  voice  that  would 
grace  a  cathedral.  I  believe  the  three  have  had  a 
school  up  in  the  Swedish  village  for  the  past  few 
years,  and  some  Y.M.C.A.  dolt  from  Boulder  goes 
up  to  the  pines  Sundays  to  amuse  the  mill-hands. 
Preaching  and  music  are  all  right,  harmless,  help 
pass  their  time.  But  what  I  do  not  believe  in  is 


52  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

educating  them.  The  schools  and  the  reading-rooms 
are  emphatically  out  of  place,  and  exist  only  by  my 
tolerance.  Education  unfits  them  for  their  work, 
makes  them  discontented  and  restless.  Where  their 
ignorance  is  bliss,  it's  folly  to  make  them  otherwise. 
The  less  a  man  knows,  the  less  he  has  to  worry 
about." 

"  Education  does  not  seem  to  have  unfitted  Paul 
for  work,"  remarked  Howard,  "  for  I  presume  you 
class  him  along  with  the  Mexicans  and  Swedes. 
Yet  Ben  has  been  laid  up  over  six  months  of  your 
busiest  season,  and  I  can't  see  but  things  move  as 
smoothly  under  that  boy's  management,  whether  you 
are  here  or  not." 

"  Ah,  but  there's  everything  in  heredity,"  Eldreth 
reminded  him,  "  Paul's  mother  was,  is,  an  unusual 
woman  for  her  station  in  life ;  uneducated,  it  is  true, 
but  strong-minded,  high-spirited.  She  has  gifted 
him  with  considerable  executive  ability,  the  fellow's 
chief  value  to  me.  Edwin,  too,  has  done  something, 
for  him  in  the  book  line,  but  you  know  the  saying 
*  An  ounce  of  mother  is  worth  a  pound  of  clergy.'  ' 

"  Let  me  see,"  reflected  Nolan,  "  isn't  he  the  son 
of  that  headshepherd  of  yours,  the  man  who  met 
justice  (or  was  it  injustice?)  at  the  hands  of  vig- 
ilantes some  twenty  years  ago?" 

"  Oh,  it  was  justice  all  right."  And  his  host 
laughed  grimly. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  53 

"  I  recollect  the  fellow.  I  was  invariably  called 
upon  whenever  you  sent  him  down  to  Denver,  to  bail 
him  out  and  head  him  back  toward  Boulder,  getting 
his  ticket  and  staying  with  him  till  the  train  moved. 
And  this  young  man  who  drove  me  from  the  train 
this  morning  is  his  son  ?  Oh  no,  he  didn't  introduce 
himself, — your  men  are  too  well  trained  for  that ;  but 
I  drew  him  out  a  bit  on  the  way.  Hu-m.  .  .  m. 
And  yet  you  believe  in  heredity,  Eldreth  ?  " 

"  Assuredly." 

"  But  more  in  evironment,  surely,  in  view  of  this 
case." 

"  By  no  means.  Heredity  is  the  most  powerful, 
the  most  inexorable  of  laws,  as  strong  as  its  kin, 
evolution,  as  unfailing  as — gravitation.  It  shapes 
a  man,  body  and  soul;  it  stamps  the  impress  upon 
him,  not  merely  of  his  father,  but  of  his  countless 
ancestors;  it  decides  his  ruling  passions,  his  habits 
of  life,  his  destiny  itself.  Like  begets  like.  Attri- 
butes, physical,  mental  and  moral,  are  transmitted 
generation  after  generation  persistently.  Look  at 
the  Rothschilds.  It  is  not  only  wealth  that  they 
have  inherited,  but  the  ability  of  wealth-getting  and 
of  wealth-increasing.  Take  the  Bach  family:  able 
musicians  for  more  than  two  hundred  years.  And 
there  are  the  Herschels,  the  Darwins,  the  Dumas  ', 
the  Pitts — any  number  of  families  where  marked 
characteristics  have  been  '  handed  down.'  If  other 


54  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

cases  are  less  marked,  it  is  only  because  the  dis- 
tinguishing characteristics  are  less  marked.  Is  there 
any  better  authority  than  that  which  says :  '  When 
a  man  comes  from  his  mother's  womb,  the  gate  of 
gifts  closes  behind  him  '  ?  Could  environment  have 
suppressed  star-gazing  in  the  Herschels,  or  romanc- 
ing in  the  Dumas',  or  statesmanship  in  the  Pitts? 
On  the  other  hand,  is  environment  able  to  put  even 
beet  blood  into  a  turnip?  " 

"I  am  not  claiming  that  environment  endows; 
but  it  may  revolutionize.  Birth  may  close  the  gate 
of  gifts,  but  not  that  of  opportunity.  Heredity  by 
no  means  fixes  either  character  or  destiny,  else  this 
son  of  a  criminal  may  break  law  as  well  now  as  later, 
since  '  that  rash  humor  which  his  father  gave  him 
makes  him  forgetful/  and  since  he  must  break  law, 
however  environed.  It  is  a  fundamental  law  that 
every  creature  brings  forth  of  its  kind,  but  inherent 
tendencies  merely  give  trend  to  character.  The  law 
of  environment  is  as  much  a  fixed  law  as  is  that  of 
heredity.  If  this  were  not  true,  hope  must  die  from 
the  earth.  As  to  the  cases  you  cite,  I  say  yes,  most 
emphatically,  environment  might  easily  have  turned 
the  channel  of  talents  mentioned  or  might  have 
choked  them  outright.  If  your  '  handing  down  '  be 
so  unvarying,  why  has  the  world  seen  no  second 
Cromwell  or  Goethe?  And  what  was  there  in  the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  55 

ancestry  of  Robert  Burns  or  our  own  Honest  Abe 
to  set  them  apart  as  unusual  ?" 

"  That  is  an  easy  one,"  smiled  Eldreth,  "  A  father 
may  transmit  to  his  son  his  ability  for  management, 
we  will  say,  but  neither  his  energy  nor  his  applica- 
tion; or  again,  his  musical  talent,  without  patience 
and  perseverance.  Thus  family  traits  often  die  out 
wholly  or  '  jump  a  generation.'  But  be  sure  it's  all 
there,  potent  or  latent;  for  as  the  sage  has  said, 
'  Every  man  is  a  quotation  from  all  his  ancestors.' ' 

"  I'll  grant  all  that  and  more.  Your  brainy  man 
may  mate  with  an  inferior  woman,  and  their  child — 
well,  I  know  you'll  say  a  chain  is  no  stronger  than 
its  weakest  link;  but  I  say  their  child's  character 
and  destiny  depend  upon  a  hundred  trifles,  the  ag- 
gregate of  which  I  call  environment.  Your  brainy 
man  and  his  low-caste  woman  may  separate.  Which 
one  rears  the  child?  Will  not  that  question,  rather 
than  how  they  have  gifted  him,  decide  his  character 
and  destiny?  Again,  take  the  case  of  the  young 
man,  our  driver.  An  inferior  father  and  a  some- 
what superior  mother,  you  say.  Now,  I'll  not  ask 
so  much  with  what  characteristics  they  have  en- 
dowed him,  as  :  Where  has  he  lived  ?  With  whom 
associated?  Who  has  taught  him,  and  what? 
What  of  his  work,  reading,  recreation  ?  And  last  of 
all,  is  he  disposed  to  make  his  own  circumstances,  to 
follow  that  nobleman  Sidney's  '  Aut  viam  inveniam, 


56  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

out  faciam '?  '  Aut  faciam! '  That  is  more  potent, 
even,  than  environment.  If  circumstances  may  re- 
volutionize hereditary  tendencies,  what  may  not  will- 
power accomplish?" 

"  I'll  answer  that,  lawyer-fashion,  with  a  counter 
question :  If  mere  surroundings,  your  hundred 
trifles,  and  your  '  Aut  faciam '  are  so  all-powerful, 
why  did  that  great  Catholic  archbishop  say,  '  Give 
me  the  children  of  the  land  till  they  are  five  years 
of  age  and  Protestants  may  have  them  ever  after '  ? 
This  is  no  argument  for  the  power  of  heredity,  but 
it  is  one  against  '  Man  is  maker  of  his  own  circum- 
stances.' The  wise  archbishop  meant  anybody's 
children.  But  give  him  the  children  of  Catholic 
parents  and  he'll  not  require  five  years.  As  to  the 
fellow  in  question,  it's  all  there — father,  mother, 
grand-parents.  He  is  a  quotation  from  all  his  an- 
cestors, and  the  quote-marks  must  come  to  light 
sooner  or  later.  He  hasn't  lived  his  life  out  yet  by 
some  fifty  years." 

At  this  point  DeLacy  lifted  his  voice  in  a  discus- 
sion of  the  four  young  people  at  the  other  end  of  the 
table : 

"  I  appeal  to  your  father,  or  to  either  of  the  other 
gentlemen.  Is  it  not  true  that  should  Miss  Lilys 
go — abroad,  let  us  say,  for  voice-culture  even  for 
one  year,  ever  after  things  would  be  different  with 
her?  She  would  view  the  world  through  a  more 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  57 

intense  lens,  and  even  a  twelve  months  would 
broaden,  enhance,  alter  her  whole  life?" 

"  There  you  have  it,  Eldreth,"  laughed  the 
lawyer,  "  I  couldn't  have  answered  you  as  well. 
I'm  certainly  obliged  to  Mr.  DeLacy  for  his  oppor- 
tune interruption.  Look  you.  Upon  the  wag  of 
your  head,  whether  it  be  up  and  down  or  sidewise 
upon  so  small  an  act  (one  of  my  hundred  trifles) 
depend  your  only  daughter's  future,  the  development 
of  her  talent,  the  sort  of  man  she  marries,  her  out- 
look upon  life — that  life  itself.  Are  you  con- 
vinced ?  " 

"  Far  from  it,  my  dear  sir.  For  whether  she 
spends  her  entire  life  in  this  country  or  in  the  island 
country  of  her  ancestors,  it  is  all  one.  Her  talent 
was  born  in  her;  the  man  she  chooses  will  be  a  fit- 
ting choice  as  (ahem!)  were  the  selections  of  her 
foremothers ;  and  her  view  of  life  is  naturally,  neces- 
sarily, through  the  ancestral  lens,  '  handed  down.' 
Her  environment  whatsoever  will  leave  essentials 
unchanged ;  for,  again,  it's  all  there — the  whole  long 
double  line." 

When  the  young  people  had  delved  again  into 
their  own  themes,  Howard  said : 

'  You  two  have  sidetracked  wofully.  We  began 
by  talking  about  educating  the  common  people, 
elevating  the  masses.  As  to  heredity  and  environ- 
ment, I'm  inclined  to  think  you  are  both  right. 


58  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Every  child  has  the  sacred  right  to  be  born  well, 
and  no  man  should  die  without  having  bent  every 
circumstance  to  contribute  to  his  utmost  individual 
development.  And  after  all,  this  is  closely  allied 
to  our  original  subject.  The  masses  have  not,  as 
a  rule,  enjoyed  the  sacred  right  of  being  well  born. 
Shall  we  deny  them,  then,  the  right  to  such  eleva- 
tion as  lies  within  us  more  fortunate  to  give  them  ?" 

"Bah,  John,"  scoffed  Eldreth,  "much  of  this 
talk  about  elevating  the  masses  is  half-baked,  mis- 
guided sentimentality.  What  does  elevation  of  the 
lower  class  lead  to,  logically?  The  ultimate  result 
is  a  universal  mediocrity.  Why?  Because  it  is  a 
leveling-down  process  as  well  as  a  building-up  pro- 
cess. Is  the  earth's  surface  growing  more  uniform  ? 
Yes,  but  what  the  valleys  gain  the  hills  lose.  The 
plains  will  rise  in  process  of  time,  but  it  will  be  at 
the  expense  of  the  peaks." 

"  You  mean  that  the  average  gain  will  be  in- 
dividual loss?" 

"  Precisely.  Where  once  the  world's  history 
knew  greatness  in  character,  achievement,  leader- 
ship, ambition,  there  will  come  a  general  lifting  of 
the  common  people,  from  which,  paradoxical  as  it 
sounds,  the  individual  can  not  rise  so  high." 

"  He  should  be  able  to  rise  all  the  higher,  and 
with  more  ease." 

"Theoretically,  yes;  but  the  trouble  will  lie  just 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  59 

here :  He  will  no  longer  care  to.  Socialism,  we'll 
not  talk  about :  it  is  part  sentimentality,  part  lunacy. 
But  socialism  aside,  it  has  always  seemed  to  me  that 
even  democracy,  fully  realized,  is  death  to  individ- 
ualism, in  that  it  throttles  achievement,  stunts 
character,  curbs  leadership,  kills  ambition.  Great 
Britain,  not  America,  is  the  best  ruled  of  earth's 
nations, — I  mean  best  for  humanity.  Her  history 
proves  it.  The  monarchial  idea  is  founded  upon  in- 
dividual rule,  which  presupposes  harmony,  equili- 
brium, wisdom.  All  this  talk  about  equality  and 
majority  rule  is  sheer  nonsense.  Majority-rule,  the 
underlying  idea  of  our  republican  form,  is  nothing 
more  than  mass-rule,  yes,  mob-rule,  with  now  one 
party  in  the  ascendancy,  now  another;  now  one  set 
of  principles,  now  another ;  now  one  gang  of  dema- 
gogues, now  another.  The  result?  Vacillation; 
impulse  and  instinct  against  reason;  follies  and 
crimes  in  the  name  of  liberty;  changes, — but  not 
progress." 

"  '  In  a  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is  safety.'  ' 
"  Never  was  more  plausible  life  sent  bellowing 
down  the  ages.  Break  a  mob,  and  some  of  its  com- 
ponent parts  may  be  trustworthy.  But  the  aggre- 
gate? What  of  the  multitude  that  never  counsels? 
Look  at  the  commune  of  Paris.  There's  the  one 
and  sufficient  answer  to  all  democratic  argument. 
America  will  soon  be  echoing  the  answer  with  char- 


60  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

acteristic  amendment.  The  age  of  majority  but  a 
score  of  years;  naturalization  criminally  easy;  here 
in  Colorado  and  in  a  growing  number  of  states, 
the  idiocy  of  the  other-sex  franchise, — oh,  we  are 
sailing  bravely  toward  the  maelstrom." 

"  But  what  will  you  do  with  '  The  greatest  good 
to  the  greatest  number  '  ?  That  is  not  a  plausible 
lie." 

"  No ;  but  equality  will  never  accomplish  it,  nor 
mass-elevation,  nor  majority-rule.  Men  are  not 
equal,  can  not  be  made  so.  The  masses  will  always 
be  mediocre,  educate  them  as  you  may;  and,  as  I 
said,  such  elevation  as  they  will  take  must  be  at  the 
expense  of  individualism,  upon  which  alone  depends 
human  advancement.  Nor  will  majority-rule  bring 
great  good  to  great  numbers,  for  the  average  man  is 
as  incapable  of  self-government  as  a  child.  He  must 
be  ruled;  his  decisions  made  for  him;  his  good  ac- 
complished by  one — the  individual,  the  leader,  the 
thinker,  the  monarch.  Why,  your  very  religion, 
John,  is  monotheistic,  or — and  here  I  am  unin- 
formed— in  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  sweet  here- 
after, will  decisions  be  handed  over  to  a  majority 
of  the  white-robed  angelic  ?  If  so,  I  am  more  than 
ever  resigned  to  be  headed  for  that  unlimited 
monarchy  glimpsed  us  by  Dante." 

"  Papa,"  broke  in  Lilys  from  over  her  cup  of 
cafe  noir,  "  was  Dixie's  mamma  so  much  handsomer 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  61 

and  brainier  than  my  mamma  ?  Mine  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  Harvard  Annex,  and  her  people  were  real 
Mayflower  passengers,  first  cabin,  at  that.  Any- 
how," laughingly,  "  he  isn't  so  much  better  looking 
than  I,  even  if  the  Boulder  photographers  do  keep  a 
continuous  display  of  his  last  seventeen  poses.  Nor 
so  much  smarter,  for  all  he  has  attended  the  State 
University  and  I  only  recited  to  Uncle  Edwin.  And 
don't  Paul  know  ever  and  ever  so  much  more  than 
Dix  and  I  together  ?  Uncle  says  so ;  and  Paul  never 
went  to  school  at  all." 

"  Father  will  say  we  both  get  our  brains  and 
beauty  from  him,  irrespective  of  our  mothers,"  in- 
terpolated Richard,  turning  his  dark  handsome  face 
toward  the  others. 

"  I  should  think  you  children  could  find  subjects 
for  disputes  other  than  your  respective  mothers. 
Both  were  beautiful  and  extraordinary  women,  else 
I  had  not  chosen  them." 

"  Why,  Eldreth,  I  didn't  know  you'd  been  married 
twice,"  said  Nolan.  "  Your  son  and  daughter  look 
quite  enough  alike  to  have  been  born  of  the  same 
mother." 

His  host  frowned,  shoved  back  his  chair  and  arose 
as  Lilys  stood  up. 

"  Yes,"  he  lied  smoothly,  "  the  first  Mrs.  Eldreth 
was  a  Southern  girl,  who  did  not  live  long.  She 
was  a  pronounced  brunette,  while  Miss  Allan,  you 


62  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

know,  was  a  first-water  blonde.  Lilys  gets  her  dark 
hair  and  eyes  from  my  mother's  side  the  house, 
though  she  does  not  much  resemble  the  Hunting- 
tons.  But  come  into  the  veranda,  gentlemen.  The 
cigars,  Richard.  Miss  Howard  and  Lilys  will  sing 
for  us  from  the  parlor." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  63 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  BOSS'S  SON. 

YOUNG  Eldreth  and  DeLacy  sought  the  far  end 
of  the  veranda  apart  from  the  elder  men,  the  one 
dropping  into  the  hammock,  the  other  leaning 
against  a  window  which  looked  into  the  parlor. 

Herbert  DeLacy  bore  about  him  that  self-assured 
air  which  accompanies  social  position  and  ample 
means,  together  with  extreme  worldliness.  He  was 
heavy-set,  but  his  ease  of  motion  might  readily  be 
taken  for  grace.  His  eyes  were  a  nondescript  gray 
and  he  used  a  monocle.  His  dark  moustache  was 
close-clipped,  accentuating  the  red  of  a  sensual 
mouth.  His  manner  was  pleasing,  even  winning, 
and  among  those  of  his  own  standing  he  won  and 
held  innumerable  friends,  particularly  women.  His 
magnetism,  though  purely  animal,  was  his  most 
powerful  attractive  force,  a  force  against  which 
"  all  men  and  some  women  "  did  not  sufficiently 
account. 

Richard  Eldreth's  was  also  an  experienced  face, 
though  more  youthful.  "  His  years  but  young,  but 
his  experience  old,"  And  the  character-lines  of  his 


64  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

face  were  tell-tale  to  the  knowing.  To  the  unknow- 
ing, the  young  man  was  a  continual  puzzle.  At  the 
university  his  career  had  been  marked  by  periods  of 
alternate  energy  and  indolence,  of  brilliancy  in 
work  and  of  rebellion  against  exertion.  First  it 
would  be  some  class  honors  all  but  won,  next  his 
father  must  hasten  to  prevent  expulsion  and  dis- 
grace. One  week  he  was  a  delight  to  those  who 
loved  him,  the  next  their  despair.  Today  he  was 
the  fastidious  epicure,  even  in  his  worst  habits,  to- 
morrow his  indulgences  would  be  unnamable.  Thus, 
to  the  unknowing,  he  was  a  singular  combination  of 
refinement  and  grossness. 

Through  with  his  studies,  he  would  remain  at 
home,  apparently  happy  in  the  society  of  his  sister 
and  her  best  friend,  Miss  Howard,  and  there  would 
be  music,  reading  of  the  best  books,  elevating  con- 
versation. For  he  had  a  fine  voice  and  a  natural 
musical  ability,  which  only  his  aversion  to  applica- 
tion had  left  uncultivated.  This  period  of  home- 
staying  and  the  yielding  to  the  higher  attributes  of 
his  nature  would  last  only  so  long;  then  he  must 
plunge  into  the  under  side  of  the  city's  life,  where 
for  a  corresponding  period  his  extravagances,  ex- 
cesses and  escapades  made  even  his  father  gasp  and 
wonder. 

In  appearance,  he  shared  his  mother's  dark  pas- 
sionate beayty,  though  he  did  not  resemble  her, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  65 

He  was  always  faultlessly  attired  and  at  perfect  ease, 
whether  clad  in  fancy  knickers,  golf  stockings  and 
Tarn  or  in  full  evening-dress.  He  carried  himself 
with  an  indolent,  dandified  air  oddly  at  variance 
with  his  large,  muscular  frame. 

"  Come  with  me  this  evening,  Bert,  and  I'll  fur- 
nish you  a  new  sensation,"  he  was  whispering,  as 
the  men  settled  themselves  to  their  after-dinner 
cigars.  "  What  the  deuce  do  we  care  for  their  ele- 
vation-of-the-masses  talk?  And  catch  me  going 
to  church  again.  Once  a  week's  all  I  can  stand,  even 
if  Nina  and  the  Babe  do  sing.  Come  with  me. 
Quarry  Town's  rare  fun,  Sundays,  when  those 
clumsy,  meaty,  turkey-red  Swedes  would  a-woo- 
ing  go, — blue  jumpers,  horny  hands,  sweat  and  all. 
Gads!  but  don't  they  scowl  and  mutter  when  I 
saunter  up  that  way  and  stop  to  chat  with  their  best 
girls.  What  was  it  they  used  to  say  when  Caesar 
approached  ?  Well,  up  in  Quarry  Town  it's  '  Hide 
your  wives  and  sweethearts;  the  Boss's  son  is  com- 
ing.' And  such  girls,  thick  waists  and  dish-washy 
hands.  A  fellow  with  taste  would  run  the  other  way 
'  as  far  as  God  could  furnish  ground; '  and  it  would 
have  to  be  pretty  dark  if  he  screwed  his  courage  up 
to  a  kiss.  But  I've  found  one  girl  up  there  that  I 
can  talk  to  without  shutting  my  eyes  or  forgetting 
my  grammar;  old  Bradley's  daughter,  Irish  extrac- 
tion, the  prettiest  mouth  and  neck  you  ever  looked 


66  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

at.  Her  '  steady,'  Antonio,  has  recently  been  trans- 
ferred up  to  the  mill  (praise  the  Lord !),  comes  down 
only  Sundays.  He  is  part  Mexican,  and  if  his  eyes 
were  daggers,  I'd  have  been  dead  a  dozen  times." 

"  Best  take  care,  old  boy.  Haven't  you  heard  the 
saying :  '  Vengeance  is  of  the  Mexicans'  ?  " 

"  I  may  have  to  settle  with  him  yet,"  laughed 
Richard,  lighting  another  Egyptian.  "  I've  been  try- 
ing to  get  the  governor  to  discharge  him,  but  those 
things  are  left  to  the  foreman,  whom  the  half-breed 
takes  pains  to  please,  being  anxious  to  hold  his 
job.  One  Saturday  night  this  spring  they  had  a 
dance  at  Quarry  Town  hall,  and  I  went  up,  though 
the  honorable  citizens  are  never  out  to  welcome 
me,  not  in  any  great  numbers.  But  I  had  fun 
enough  for  twenty-four  hours.  The  Mexican  didn't 
get  down  from  the  pines  till  late,  and  the  way  I  was 
monopolizing  his  sweetheart  was  no  dream,  but  a 
blood-stirring  reality.  Waltz?  Sure;  most  as  well 
as  Edna  Whitney.  If  the  governor  hadn't  sent  for 
me  (some  company  here  at  the  House)  I'd  be  there 
yet,  heart-to-heart.  I  say,  Bert,  let's  go  coax  the 
little  Bradley  girl  and  one  other  to  go  down  to 
Denver  for  a  lark.  I'll  be  generous  and  whack 
up  with  you — What?  Nina  Howard?  Not  on 
your  life,  son.  She  of  the  Titian  hair  and  turquoise 
eyes  and  tranquil  temper  is  the  girl  I  am  going  to 
marry  (to  hear  our  papas  tell  it).  Ha,  ha !  It  would 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  67 

be  a  mild  sort  of  lark  she'd  go  on — prohibition  lem- 
onade, with  not  too  much  lemon.  Nope,  there's  an- 
other girl  up  there,  recently  from  Chicago.  She's 
pretty  too.  I  have  a  hazy  recollection  of  kissing 
her.  She'll  not  turn  you  down ;  she's  as  anxious  to 
be  a  '  lady '  (!)  as  the  Bradley  girl  is.  I'll  be 
generosity  itself  and  give  you  your  choice." 

"  One,  two,  three,  four,  five,"  enumerated  De- 
Lacy,  "  all  since  I've  been  here.  You  ought  to 
move  across  the  line  into  Utah,  Dick,  or  secure  for 
Eldhurst  a  special-grant  on  plurality  of  wives." 

"  Not  I,"  grinned  his  companion,  "  nor  singular- 
ity either,  unless  indeed  I  could  emulate  your  noble 
example  at  continuous  performance  in  the  divorce 
courts." 

"  Humph !  I  don't  know  but  I'd  as  soon  figure  as 
principal  in  a  divorce  suit  as  to  be  named  as  co- 
respondent in  one.  Ahem!  What  did  that  little  af- 
fair cost  your  angry  papa  last  week,  anyhow  ?  " 

"  Shut  up !  "  with  an  apprehensive  glance  toward 
the  parlor.  He  let  his  cigarette  go  out  in  the  suc- 
ceeding pause,  then  came  back  to  the  present  with 
a  regretful  sigh :  "  But  it  was  almighty  interesting 
while  it  lasted.  Now  I'll  leave  it  to  you  (you  ought 
to  know)  if  it  isn't  'cheaper  to  kiss  other  men's 
wives  than  to  keep  a  wife  for  other  men  to  kiss  ' 
—eh?" 

DeLacy   shook   an   admiring  head.      "  What   a 


68  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

heathen  you  are !  You  never  have  made  a  specialty 
of  resisting  temptation,  have  you?  " 

"  No  more  than  you  have.  I  say  the  best  way  to 
treat  a  temptation  is  to  yield  to  it  and  get  it  out 
of  the  way.  My  fiancee  is  always  prating  about  up- 
rooting unholy  desires,  a  method  for  supplying  our 
needs  that's  about  as  sensible  as  amputating  our 
fingers  when  we  ask  for  rings.  But  you  will  come 
with  me  to  the  city  ?  " 

The  other  made  a  negative  sign. 

"Lord  save  us,  he  isn't  growing  virtuous?" 
sneered  Eldreth. 

DeLacy  blew  smoke-rings  in  slow  flights.  "  Got 
to  keep  pretty  straight  before  the  '  governor  '  if 
I  want  to  stand  any  show,  don't  I  ?  Recollect  what 
he  said  at  dinner  about  the  man  she  chooses  being 
a  fitting  choice?  " 

"  Oh,  the  governor's  so  straight  himself.  I've 
gotten  onto  a  few  things  lately  appertaining  to  the 
swift  days  of  his  youth;  and  his  youth  seems  pro- 
longing itself.  He  never  preaches  to  me,  bet  your 
life.  Didn't  say  a  word  last  week  when  he  had  to 
put  up  to  those  damned  blackmailers;  and  when 
I  asked  him  if  he  didn't  think  her  a  beauty,  he  only 
laughed.  Come  on,  for  he'll  never  know.  You'll 
get  enough  of  the  Babe,  since  she's  going  with  your 
party  in  a  week.  Accept  my  sympathy  if  you're 
after  a  show  in  her  direction.  She's  a  spit-fire,  I 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  69 

tell  you.  That  preacher's-sister  mamma  of  hers 
must  have  been  a  joe-dandy  for  temper.  Besides, 
you'll  have  to  wait  till  she  grows,  or  else  take  a  kid 
to  raise.  Twenty?  I  believe  she  is — in  years;  but 
about  fourteen  in  experience.  She  is  green,  under- 
ripe, undeveloped.  You  can  tell  that  from  her 
voice,  her  form,  her  actions.  This  minute  she'd 
rather  race  ponies  with  Sam  or  go  bug-hunting 
with  Pepito  than  have  you  make  love  to  her;  and 
her  idea  of  heavenly  happiness  is  her  swing  in  the 
summer-house  with  Paul  to  read  her  fairy  tales. 
Why,  she  gets  her  last  doll  out  every  once  in  awhile, 
honest ;  and  still  has  a  secret  hankering  for  Mellin's 
food.  She  doesn't  know  what  love  means.  Up 
to  date  her  kisses  and  hugs  have  been  dealt  out  to 
her  judiciously  by  the  governor,  her  parson  uncle 
and  yours  sincerely." 

"  I'd  like  to  relieve  you  of  the  contract,  all  three 
of  you,"  sighed  DeLacy,  turning  the  blind-slats  till 
he  had  a  good  view  of  Lilys's  girlish  figure  at  the 
piano,  "  only  I'm  reasonably  certain  I  shouldn't  be 
judicious.  Listen  to  that.  Isn't  that  divine?"  as 
the  blending  voices  of  the  girls  came  to  them  from 
the  parlor. 

Eldreth's  eyes  glowed  with  gratified  pride. 
11  Why,  there's  nothing  the  matter  with  the  con- 
tralto; there's  a  woman  back  of  that.  But  Babe 
always  sings  love  songs  as  though  she  were  a  dried 


70  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mummy,  or  as  though  love  were  a  box  of  bon-bons 
done  up  with  white  ribbons  and  silver  tongs.  Poor 
Babe!  She  has  much  to  learn." 

The  other  waited  till  the  song  was  ended,  then 
announced :  "  No,  Dick,  I  think  I  shall  remain. 
These  worthy  guests  of  your  father's  will  not  stay 
the  evening  out,  I  take  it  ?  " 

"  Even  if  they  don't,  the  governor  and  Lilys  '11 
have  to  have  it  out  tonight.  He  hasn't  told  her  yet 
that  she's  to  go,  else  she  wouldn't  have  been  in  such 
a  May-time  humor  through  the  dinner.  Look  out 
for  a  March  tempest  when  he  does." 

"  Nonsense !  you  can't  tell  me  a  girl  doesn't  like 
a  complete  new  outfit,  trunks  of  pretty  dresses,  travel 
and  all  that.  Don't  I  know  girls?  Got  some  little 
sisters  of  my  own." 

"  Well,  you  don't  know  my  little  sister.  She's 
a  green-up  when  it  comes  to  city  ways.  The  gov- 
ernor was  so  afraid  some  Pleb  might  touch  her 
dress-hem  he  wouldn't  let  her  attend  the  public 
school;  so  afraid  some  chap  might  look  at  her,  she 
mustn't  go  to  university  with  me, — oh  no !  So  she 
hasn't  been  off  the  place  except  a  couple  of  winters 
in  Denver  since  the  governor's  been  in  the  House, 
and  then  she  had  a  perfect  relay  of  chaperones. 
She  won't  want  to  leave,  and  she's  had  her  own  way 
so  long  with  every  one  from  Ben  down  to  Pepito 
that  there's  going  to  be  a  big  storm  with  consider- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  71 

able  lightning  when  she  runs  up  against  the  gov- 
ernor's '  You've  got  to.'  ' 

"  You  don't  think  he'd  yield  and  let  her  stay?" 
anxiously. 

His  host  laughed  grimly.  "  You  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  the  Honorable  Pierce  H.  Eldreth, 
the  member  from  Boulder,  I  see.  You  heard  what 
he  said  in  the  carriage  as  we  came  home?  Oh. 
she'll  go;  but  I  want  to  stand  from  under  when 
they  come  together,  that's  all." 


72  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

HIS  FIANCEE. 

THE  two  girls  came  out  of  the  house.  Lilys 
had  a  pair  of  scissors  and  began  cutting  a  bouquet 
for  her  friend.  As  they  passed  about  among  the 
shrubbery,  five  pairs  of  admiring  masculine  eyes 
moved  with  them. 

Nina  Howard  was  older  than  her  friend  by  three 
or  four  years,  and  taller  by  a  head.  Hers  was  a 
presence  to  be  marked  immediately  in  any  assembly. 
Admiring  glances  always  followed  her.  Her  figure 
was  perfection,  her  gowns  of  the  quiet  elegance 
of  ultra-refinement,  always  harmonious,  as  now, 
from  the  tip  of  the  jeweled  aigrette  in  her  pic- 
ture-hat to  the  points  of  her  aristocratic  shoe.  The 
double  line  of  her  Puritan  ancestors  looked  from 
her  clear  eyes,  and  '  Gentlewoman '  was  written 
unmistakably  over  her  person,  manner  and  belong- 
ings. She  bore  an  air  of  dignified  reserve  which 
melted  in  the  presence  of  her  father  only.  As  to 
her  betrothed,  she  was  the  one  woman  of  his  wide 
acquaintance  of  whom  he  stood  at  all  in  awe. 

DeLacy  looked  reflectively  at  her  as  she  stood 
letting  Lilys  fasten  a  cluster  of  white  lilacs  at 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  73 

her  breast,  and  it  was  the  look  of  an  appreciative 
connoisseur  over  a  fine  thoroughbred. 

"  Hu-m  .  .  .  m,"  he  mused  aloud,  "  I  say,  Dick, 
if  I  were  in  your  shoes,  said  shoes  wouldn't  stray 
far  from  Eldhurst  and  such  a  figure  as  that." 

"What  in  thunder  are  you  talking  about?" 
drawled  Richard,  busy  with  another  cigarette;  but 
when  he  traced  the  glance  to  its  object,  when  he 
noted  the  sort  of  glance  it  was,  he  came  to  his 
feet  with  darkening  face : 

"  You  keep  your  damned  eyes  off  her !  " 

DeLacy  whistled  his  astonishment,  but  he  dared 
not  laugh.  "  I  beg  pardon.  I "he  began. 

But  the  other  cut  him  short.  "All  right,"  he 
said  curtly,  "  but  she's  not  Edna  Whitney,  remem- 
ber." 

Then,  as  he  saw  Miss  Howard  about  to  draw 
on  her  gloves,  he  reached  for  his  hat,  threw  away 
his  cigarette  and  joined  her.  He  was  an  inveterate 
smoker,  but  he  never  indulged  while  with  her. 
He  never  asked  to.  No  man  would  have  asked. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  Lilys  was  laughing,  as  he 
approached  them,  "  I  don't  believe  he's  as  bad  as 
you  paint  him.  Dixie  here  could  be  blind-folded 
and  handcuffed  and  then  teach  him  mischief.  Dix 
is  simply  incorrigible,  the  very  worst  outside  the 
Reform  School,  yet  you  won't  hear  a  word  against 
him,  and  never  scold  him  yourself," 


74  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  My  credulous  little  sister,"  exclaimed  the  young 
man  as  he  appropriated  Miss  Howard's  parasol  and 
music-roll,  "  she  does  little  else." 

His  betrothed  sent  him  a  reproachful  glance, 
then,  with  an  arm  round  Lilys  as  they  moved  toward 
the  gate,  concluded  her  interrupted  remark : 

"  So,  my  dear  girl,  beware,  for  all  I  have  surmised 
of  him  will  prove  true." 

"  What's  she  giving  you,  Babe  ?  A  sort  of 
Gypsy's  Warning  against  the  dark-eyed  stranger?  " 
nodding  toward  DeLacy,  who  was  coming  slowly 
down  toward  the  gate.  "  '  Do  not  trust  him,  gentle 
lady,  though  his  voice  be  low  and  sweet '  ?  Much 
good,  that.  He's  already  got  the  governor's  con- 
sent, and  that's  all  that  is  necessary  round  this 
ranch.  Wentworth  '11  feel  knocked  out,  and  Nolan 
junior  and  some  others  I  might  mention;  but  then, 
monogamous  marriages  are  the  only  lawful  ones." 

"  Oh,  Dix,  do  keep  still  about  consents  and  mar- 
riages. It's  fatiguing  after  a  warm  day.  Uncle 
says  I  have  years  of  study  with  him,  and  there  are 
also  several  years  of  music  if  I  do  all  Mr.  Howard 
wants  me  to." 

'That  is  right,  dear,"  approved  Miss  Howard, 
"  there's  time  enough  for  such  grave  decisions. 
One's  girlhood  is  short  enough  at  best." 

"  Now,  Nina,  don't  be  so  superior,"  pouted  Lilys ; 
then,  turning  to  DeLacy,  "  You  are  such  a  relief, 
Engaged  people  are  intolerable,  if  you've  noticed," 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  75 

"Yes,  I've  noticed.  They  are  quite  amusing; 
that  is,  the  masculine  half,"  with  a  sly  glance  to- 
ward his  host. 

But  the  thrust  was  momentarily  lost,  for  Rich- 
ard was  looking  at  his  fiancee  as  though  he  had 
never  seen  her  before.  "  Such  a  figure,"  DeLacy 
had  said,  and  by  George,  it  was  true;  he  hadn't 
half  noticed  heretofore.  Now  his  practiced  eye 
wandered  over  the  undulating  curves  of  her  per- 
fect form,  noting  the  deep  breast  and  the  generous 
hips  as  contrasted  with  the  slender  litheness  of  his 
sister.  Then,  glancing  up  at  his  friend,  his  eyes  be- 
trayed the  very  look  he  had  found  so  objectionable 
in  that  friend's.  He  smiled  guiltily,  but,  recovering 
himself,  closed  the  gate  between  the  two  couples  and 
drew  Miss  Howard's  hand  through  his  arm,  looking 
down  at  a  certain  solitaire  on  her  finger  with  a 
thrilling  sense  of  proprietorship.  Her  faultless  toi- 
lets and  unquestionable  taste  had  always  appealed  to 
his  aesthetic  sense,  a  sense  which  in  him  almost  sup- 
planted the  moral  sense.  The  deep  gratification 
he  experienced  in  appearing  in  public  with  this  per- 
fectly-attired woman  almost  corresponded  to  the 
religious  joy  of  the  fanatic  in  the  feast-day  proces- 
sion. She  little  dreamed  how  strong  an  ally  was 
her  French  dressmaker  in  binding  her  lover  to  her 
side. 

"  I  was  thinking,"  he  said  musingly,  in  reply  to 


76  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

her  inquiring  glance  as  they  descended  the  hill  to- 
ward -the  church,  "  I  was  just  wondering,  you 
know,  how  it  would  feel." 

"  Are  you  talking  of  shooting  the  chutes  or  of 
smallpox?  "  smiled  his  fiancee. 

"  Of  something  more  exhilarating  than  the  one 
and  more  fatal  than  the  other — even  kisses.  You 
favored  Babe  with  three  just  now,  one  right  after 

the  other ;  I  counted,  and "  He  ended  by 

pressing  her  arm  warmly  against  his  side. 

The  girl's  manner  chilled  perceptibly.  She  with- 
drew her  hand  and  occupied  herself  with  a  ringlet 
that  threatened  escape  from  the  compact  braid. 

The  young  man  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
walked  on,  whipping  at  thistle-tops  with  the  point 
of  her  parasol. 

"  I  think  I'll  ask  you  to  excuse  me  from  dozing 
through  another  of  Allan's  sermons,"  he  remarked 
carelessly  as  they  neared  the  church.  "  The  Eldreth 
pew  isn't  nearly  so  comfortable  as  the  hammock." 

"  Certainly,"  she  replied  coldly. 

"  I'll  be  down  in  time  for  your  solo  and  to  walk 
home,  if  I  may;  but  I've  got  a  straight  two  hours' 
letter-writing,"  he  improvised  glibly,  "  and  I  owe 
Bert  some  of  my  time,  you  know." 

"  Of  course,"  she  agreed  frigidly. 

They  had  reached  the  open  door  of  the  church. 
He  placed  her  parasol  and  music  in  the  vestry  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  77 

returned  to  where  she  stood  withdrawing  her  gloves 
and  gazing  off  toward  the  mountain  rim,  where 
prism  rays  flecked  the  western  sky,  paling  the  slen- 
der crescent  of  a  youthful  moon. 

Very  deftly  and  delicately  he  began  helping  with 
her  gloves,  smiling  half  inquiringly,  half  wistfully, 
into  her  expressionless  face.  He  slipped  the  gloves 
into  his  own  pocket  with  that  same  master-sense 
of  ownership;  and  when  she  did  not  at  once  with- 
draw the  hand  he  had  bared,  he  moved  imperceptibly 
nearer  and  nearer  till  he  touched  her  side  and  stood 
looking  down  at  her,  his  nostrils  dilating  with 
quickening  breath.  Suddenly  he  stooped  and  buried 
his  face  in  the  big  bunch  of  lilacs  on  her  breast, 
reveling,  bee-like,  among  the  blossoms. 

She  drew  back,  murmuring  with  a  tinge  of  rebuke 
in  her  tone,  "Do  you  want  one?"  and  tried  to 
disengage  a  spray. 

But  the  perfume  and  her  nearness  had  stirred 
his  senses.  All  the  wine  he  had  drunk,  all  the 
blood  in  his  body,  seemed  contending  for  a  too  small 
space  in  his  head.  He  stood,  his  gaze  fastened  upon 
the  redness  of  her  sensitive  mouth,  while  he  mois- 
tened his  own  thirstily. 

"  I  want  more — much  more,"  he  said  unsteadily, 
laying  a  heavy  hand  over  the  flowers. 

She  retreated  beyond  reach,  speaking  his  name 
sharply. 


78  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

He  flushed,  then  laughed. 

"  Oh,  hang  it  all,  Nina,  can't  you  be  civil  to  a 
fellow  when  he's  just  got  back,  unkissed  for  two 
whole  weeks.  Come,  let's  walk  awhile,  away  off 
there  beyond  the  tennis  court  and  through  the  old 
orchard,  to  where  I  had  Pepito  hang  a  hammock. 
We're  just  far  enough  from  the  organ  there.  The 
pipes  sound  like  so  many  blending  human  voices. 
The  pink  and  white  of  the  orchard  look  like  anchored 
clouds  at  sunset,  and  the  perfume  is  ambrosia  itself. 
And  there  are  only  the  stars.  Just  an  hour.  You 
can  be  back  in  time  for  the  closing  anthem ;  and  I'll 
promise  not  to  be  wholly  idiotic.  I'm  sober;  honest, 
I  am.  Come !  " 

But  she  remained  as  unresponsive  as  a  statue. 
"  Young  People's  meeting  begins  in  ten  minutes," 
she  objected,  without  lifting  her  eyes  from  the 
watch  she  was  consulting,  "  and  the  leader  is  inex- 
perienced, so  it  is  my  duty  to  be  here.  And  Lilys 
may  not  be  in  the  choir  this  evening." 

He  stepped  back  without  a  word,  lifted  his  hat 
with  exaggerated  courtesy,  and  turned  away. 

"  Confound  the  girl !  "  he  muttered  savagely  as  he 
reascended  the  hill,  "she  has  about  as  much  red 
blood  as  a  trout,  and  about  as  much  passion  as 
a  paving-stone.  Her  'DUTY'!  What  with  her 
Young  People's  Meetings,  her  Mission  Schools  and 
Lord  knows  what  all,  how  much  of  her  time  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  79 

inclination  am  I  to  have  for  her  wife's  duty,  I  won- 
der. Well,  I'll  have  a  word  then  as  to  her  time; 
and  her  inclination  can  go  hang-,  once  she's  mine." 
He  smiled  meditatively,  then  sighed,  then  lighted 
a  cigarette.  "  Oh,  all  right,  Mile.  Icicle,  Dickie 
knows  who  will  go  down  to  the  nice  becushioned 
hammock,  so  he  does!  The  Spaniard  sized  it  pat: 
*  If  you  can't  get  what  you  like,  you  must  like  what 
you  can  get.' ' 


8o  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

FATHER  AND  DAUGHTER. 

IT  was  as  Richard  had  predicted,  a  stormy  scene 
between  Lilys  and  her  father  that  evening,  and  so 
depressing  in  its  effects  that  the  choir  had  to  get 
along  without  its  first  soprano  for  the  evening 
services. 

Lawyer  Nolan  and  Mr.  Howard  had  taken  their 
departure,  and  Richard  had  started  on  his  tour  as 
conquering  hero  through  Quarry  Town,  when  her 
father  called  her  to  come  to  him  in  the  veranda. 

DeLacy  looked  after  her  speculatively  as  she  left 
him  at  the  gate,  his  pulse  increasing  pleasurably  as 
he  marked  the  free  ease  of  her  fine  body.  Would 
it  reconcile  her  to  going  if  she  knew  something 
of  his  motive  in  getting  her  east?  Such  a  child! 

"  A  rosebud  set  in  little  wilful  thorns, 
And  sweet  as  Western  air  could  make  her." 

The  man  were  fortunate  indeed  who  succeeded  in 
awakening  the  girl-heart  to  the  woman's.  Both  his 
natural  and  acquired  knowledge  of  women  taught 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  81 

him  that  the  deep,  forceful  nature  of  this  girl  had 
never  been  sounded;  that  no  suggestion  of  passion 
had  as  yet  penetrated  to  the  sleeping  heart.  In 
this  knowledge  rested  his  strongest  hope  of  winning 
her.  He  felt  that  when  her  whole  untrammeled 
being  should  rise  responsive  to  love's  first  sweet 
call,  were  that  call  from  highest  heaven  or  lowest 
hell,  she  would  answer  it,  going  all  the  way,  if 
need  be. 

Lilys  ran  up  the  steps  and  to  her  father's  knee. 
She  was  glad  every  one  was  gone — except  Mr.  De- 
Lacy,  who  would  "  keep."  It  was  nice  to  be  alone, 
they  two,  before  poor  Papa  must  go  again.  She 
thought  politics  horrid.  A  politician  might  as  well 
have  no  home.  She  was  very  sorry  for  him;  and 
she  smoothed  back  his  heavy  hair  with  both  hands 
and  kissed  him  on  the  forehead. 

He  would  miss  the  match  game  of  tennis,  Dix 
and  Nina  against  Mr.  DeLacy  and  herself,  high 
stakes.  He  hadn't  taken  time  to  see  her  new  sun- 
dial out  by  the  summer-house,  nor  Royal's  babies 
down  at  the  stables,  and  the  dear  woolly  puplets 
were  playing  everywhere.  McCune  had  the  roan 
filly  ready  for  her;  she  guessed  she'd  take  it  next, 
with  Bonita  for  the  long  climbs,  since  Bonita  was 
so  hill-wise.  Her  butterflies  were  progressing. 
Uncle  said  they  would  compare  with  the  state  house 
collection.  Of  course,  Paul  had  done  most  of  the 


82  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mounting,  but  she  knew  the  classifications  as  well 
as  he  did.  She  and  Nina  were  going  to  begin  next 
week  on  the  duets,  Mr.  Howard's  music  wrritten  to 
verses  of  her  mamma's  composition.  When  the 
Scott-DeLacy  party  was  gone  she  meant  to  have 
Nellie  and  Fred  Nolan  and  a  few  others,  just  a 
small  house-party, — 

But  here  her  father  managed  to  break  in,  and  he 
at  once  told  her  of  her  eastern  trip,  a  week  from 
the  morrow,  with  Mrs.  Scott-DeLacy.  She  would 
have  a  dressmaker  and  whatever  she  wanted,  of 
course.  He  had  already  spoken  to  Helene  about 
all  that.  She  would  be  gone  the  conservatory  year, 
spending  it  with  the  very  best  of  instructors. 

The  girl  sat  stunned  and  at  first  speechless.  To 
go  away  from  Eldhurst,  from — everything!  It 
was  like  dragging  up  the  mountain  pines  by  root. 
It  was  the  breaking  up  of  the  old  order  of  things 
in  preparation  for  the  new,  the  unknown.  Vaguely 
she  felt  that  things  would  never  again  be  as  now. 
The  first  crisis  of  her  life  was  come.  This  was  her 
first  great  sorrow,  and  it  loomed  large  through  the 
mist  of  her  fears.  It  broke  over  her  in  a  spring- 
torrent  of  strange  emotions,  and  throwing  her  arms 
around  his  neck  and  hiding  her  face  on  his  shoulder 
she  wept. 

Her  tears  spent,  she  pleaded  not  to  go.  How 
could  she  leave  Eldhurst,  the  mountains,  the  beauti- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  83 

ful  sunsets,  her  summer-house,  her  piano,  Bonita 
and  Rob  and  Royal  ?  How  could  she  live  away  for 
a  whole  year  from  him  and  Uncle  and  Dixie  and 
Nina  and  Mamma  Helene  and  .  .  .  and  .  .  . 
everybody? 

After  her  plea  and  her  kisses,  she  waited.  He 
would  certainly  yield.  Uncle  would;  Dix  would; 
Helene  would. 

He  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  repeat  that  she 
was  going.  He  never  had  to  repeat  anything  to 
any  one  else  on  the  ranch.  But  noting  that  she 
waited,  he  repeated  it,  somewhat  emphatically. 

At  that  she  sprang  from  his  lap,  the  flash  of  her 
eyes  fairly  scorching  her  tears  dry.  She  would 
see  if  she  would  go — be  driven  away  against  her 
wishes,  just  on  account  of  her  horrid  old  voice! 
Wasn't  she  practicing  hours  and  hours  every  day 
with  Mr.  Howard  just  to  please  her  father — hours 
when  she'd  rather  be  out  on  Bonita?  And  this  was 
all  the  thanks  she  got.  Oh,  she'd  see  if  she'd  go, 
when  she  preferred  to  stay.  The  DeLacys,  indeed ! 
She'd  thank  them  to  attend  to  their  own  affairs. 

Her  father  stared  at  her  in  amazement  for  an 
instant;  repeated  this  statement  that  she  was  going 
exactly  one  week  from  the  morrow  on  the  noon  train 
from  Boulder,  repeated  it  this  time  not  somewhat, 
but  very,  emphatically ;  then,  lighting  a  fresh  cigar, 
began  striding  up  and  down  the  veranda,  while 


84  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Lilys  sat,  dry-eyed  and  mute,  in  the  far  shadow  of 
the  wisteria. 

Pierce  Eldreth's  wrath  increased  with  his  strid- 
ing. That  she  should  dare  to  oppose  her  will  to 
his,  his!  She  preferred  to  stay.  No  reason  given. 
Well,  he  would  see.  She  might  as  well  learn  right 
in  the  beginning  who  was  master.  Beginning? 
Of  course  it  was.  All  the  other  little  things  in  which 
he  had  allowed  her  to  rule  were  trifles, — keeping 
Pepito  or  Paul  from  work  for  some  whim  or  other, 
how  much  she  need  study  or  practice,  and  the  like. 
But  from  now  on,  he'd  speak  to  her  just  once,  as  he 
did  to  the  others. 

Paul  certainly  chose  an  unpropitious  time  to  pre- 
sent his  claim  for  a  week's  leave  of  absence;  for  it 
was  at  this  moment  that  he  approached  the  veranda, 
halted  at  the  foot  of  the  steps,  in  the  broad  white 
light  of  the  hall  chandelier  and,  hat  in  hand,  made 
his  plea  respectfully,  frankly,  briefly.  Ben  was 
worse  and  wanted  to  go  to  Idaho  Springs ;  he,  Paul, 
would  like  to  accompany  him.  He  could  stop  at 
Spanish  Bar  and  look  into  that  placer  matter,  make 
those  collections  in  Denver,  and  be  back  in  a  week. 

His  employer  stopped  on  the  top  step,  looked  the 
suppliant  from  head  to  foot  and  gave  utterance 
to  one  sweeping  malediction  comprehensive  enough 
to  include  rheumatic  foremen,  placer  matters  and 
collections  in  general.  Was  Eldhurst  going  to  the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  85 

devil,  that  there  were  insubordination  and  disorder 
and  disobedience  everywhere?  How  in  the  name 
of  all  that  was  torrid  could  he,  Paul,  go  for  a  week 
if  Ben  were  going,  and  he,  Eldreth,  leaving  for 
Denver  in  the  early  morning  to  be  gone  till  next 
Sunday  ?  Certainly  Ben  could  go  to  Idaho  Springs, 
if  not  to  the  scorching  below,  and  good  riddance, 
but  any  fool  could  take  him  there,  if  he  was  so 
blanked  helpless.  There  was  all  that  alfalfa  to  re- 
stack.  A  nice  mess  Wagner's  gang  had  made  of  it. 
Two  dikes  in  the  main  ditch  and  one  lock  in  the 
third  lateral  needed  attention.  Paul  had  better 
hire  a  competent  ditch-rider  or  do  the  riding  him- 
self. The  saw-mills  must  be  visited  and  overhauled 
this  week.  They  weren't  turning  out  near  their  full 
capacity,  and  he'd  promised  the  lumber  for  the  Long- 
mont  coal-mines  this  next  week.  The  quarries  were 
the  worst.  Bradley  must  be  growing  childish  to 
permit  such  shirking.  Then  they  were  not  working 
out  far  enough  north,  either,  where  the  ledge  meets 
the  drift.  Paul  had  better  spend  a  day  up  there 
this  week;  and  while  he  was  about  it,  he  might  as 
well  check  the  pay-roll  and  books.  And  he  would 
be  good  enough  to  go  up  there  tonight  and  sound 
Bradley  about  Ingham.  If  they  were  going  to  or- 
ganize one  of  their  condemned  unions,  he,  Eldreth, 
wanted  to  know  it. 

Then  he  could  not  go  with  Ben?     The  young 


86  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

man's  eyes  were  lifted  steadily,  eyes  wherein  fear 
had  never  cringed,  nor  a  shade  of  servility.  Their 
glances  met  and  parried;  neither  fell,  and  the  pause 
was  stinging. 

Go?  No,  sir,  no.  Let  it  end  here.  Had  he  not 
said  what  was  to  be  done?  Did  he  need  it  written 
out,  or  did  he  think  he  could  recollect  it?  What? 
In  ricks  or  in  the  sheds?  He  could  use  his  own 
judgment,  couldn't  he,  and  not  bother  his  employer 
with  such  trifles?  Antonio?  No,  he  could  not.  If 
Antonio  Garia,  or  any  one  else  on  the  place,  didn't 
like  his  work,  he  knew  what  he  could  do:  but  so 
long  as  he  was  on  the  Eldhurst  pay-roll,  he'd  work 
where  he  was  put  and  no  back  talk.  Webb  was 
shorter-handed  than  Bradley.  One  thing  more: 
Half  a  dozen  gentlemen  would  return  with  him  next 
Sunday  for  small  shooting.  He  would  go  up  to  the 
Lodge  and  see  that  it  was  provisioned  and  in  shape. 

Paul  heard  him  through  in  silence,  the  master- 
t to-slave  tone  making  him  clench  his  hands  and  set 
his  teeth.  Eldreth  stood  frowningly  regarding  the 
fair,  positive  face.  He  liked  the  young  fellow,  de- 
spite his  low  lineage.  Pierce  Eldreth  admired  cour- 
age, and  there  were  both  courage  and  spirit  behind 
those  calm  blue  eyes  that  met  his  own  so  unflinch- 
ingly. In  these  little  encounters  with  Paul,  he  al- 
ways felt  the  grim  satisfaction  of  hacking  against 
true  sword-steel.  Again  and  again  when  he  disci- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  87 

plined  Richard,  he  had  wished  vaguely  that  his 
son  were  not  so  easily  conquered.  In  the  end,  Rich- 
ard usually  went  down  thoroughly  cowed  before  his 
anger;  but  this  boy  always  had  lightnings  in  his 
eyes  and  a  smile  on  his  lips  that  said  as  plainly  as 
words,  "  I  would  not,  except  I  willed  to,"  just  as  he 
was  smiling  now.  That  little  smile  of  Paul's,  half 
serious,  half  amused,  always  stirred  him  to  the  verge 
of  self-control ;  yet  the  sensation  of  meeting  a  spirit 
worthily  antagonistic  was  really  pleasurable. 

Pierce  Eldreth  was  a  man  of  formidable  dignity 
and  repellant  coldness,  with  whom  only  his  daughter 
ventured  to  take  little  liberties.  For  the  working- 
man,  for  the  poor,  for  the  wretched,  for  the  failure 
in  life,  he  had  only  scorn.  Pity,  leniency,  even  toler- 
ance, were  all  but  unknown  to  his  haughty  heart. 
Among  his  equals  he  was  the  loyal  and  generous 
friend;  of  his  son  and  daughter  he  was  both  fond 
and  proud,  particularly  of  his  handsome  son,  who 
was  at  once  the  pride  of  his  heart  and  the  thorn 
in  his  side;  but  with  his  inferiors  and  his  employes 
whenever  possible,  through  the  foreman  and  sub- 
he  was  unbending,  unsympathetic,  dealing  with  them, 
foremen  of  his  big  ranches.  Even  with  these  medi- 
ators, he  made  himself  as  inapproachable,  and  I  am 
afraid  as  disagreeable,  as  was  in  him, — as  in  the  case 
of  the  young  man  now  standing  before  him. 

"  Don't  be  in  such  a  devil  of  a  hurry  to  get  off," 


88  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

he  ended,  turning  away,  "  when  I  see  fit  to  grant 
you  a  vacation,  I'll  inform  you.  Write  to  Ross 
of  Denver  about  those  collections.  Write  tonight." 

"  If  that  boy  looked  like  Menendez  or  acted  like 
Menendez,  by  the  Lord,  I'd  not  stand  him  a  minute, 
useful  or  not  useful,"  he  muttered,  resuming  his 
walk  as  Paul  turned  away,  "  but  he  doesn't,  nor 
like  her  either." 

And  Pierce  Eldreth,  knitting  his  brows,  tried  to 
bring  his  scheming,  business-whelmed  mind  to  con- 
sider for  the  passing  moment  whom  Paul  Menendez 
did  resemble.  But  he  gave  it  up,  though  half  Eld- 
hurst  knew. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  89 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PROVIDENCE   PREVENTS. 

WHEN  Paul  reached  the  Bradley  porch,  he  found 
Ruth  sitting  in  her  low  wooden  rocker  and  some  one 
was  seated  at  her  feet  on  the  upper  step,  some  one 
he  could  not  recognize  through  the  gloom. 

"  Good  evening,  Ruth,"  he  said  with  lifted  hat. 
"  Is  your  father  home?  That  you,  Tonie?  " 

"  No,  it's  ....  it's  Mr.  Richard,"  explained  the 
girl,  hastily  rising,  "  Father  '11  be  here  in  just  a 
minute.  Take  a  chair,  Paul." 

"  Hello,  Menendez,"  nodded  Richard  carelessly. 
"  Thought  you  always  went  to  church." 

"  Ruth  promised  to  go  with  me,"  returned  Paul, 
settling  himself  in  the  large  rocker  and  depositing 
his  hat  on  the  floor  beside  him. 

"Oh,  did  I?"  giggled  Ruth  delightedly,  "Your 
recollection's  most  awful  good,  looks  to  me." 

Richard  leaned  back  till  he  again  rested  against 
the  girl's  knees,  and  he  slyly  recaptured  the  hand 
that  hung  at  her  side  away  from  their  companion. 

"  Don't  mind  the  Menendez  kid ;  he's  a  joker," 
remarked  Eldreth,  somewhat  nettled  by  Paul's  cool 


90  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

assurance.  "  You  know  we  were  talking  of  going 
for  a  walk  just  as  he  came  up."  And  he  pressed 
the  plump  hand  he  held. 

Paul  leaned  back  and  clasped  his  hands  behind  his 
head.  "  Ruth  is  too  polite  to  cancel  a  previous  en- 
gagement, and  I'm  far  too  selfish  to  release  her. 
Ah,  there  is  the  first  bell." 

Richard  took  out  his  cigarette-case  and,  rising, 
stood,  feeling  for  a  match.  He  was  certain  the  girl 
would  follow  him  to  the  gate.  But  something  in 
Paul's  face,  dimly  seen,  restrained  her.  She  went 
only  part  way  down  the  walk,  murmuring : 

"I'm  awful  sorry,  Mr.  Richard,  but  I  did  prom- 
ise." 

"  Red  Cliff  .  .  .  eight  tomorrow  .  .  .  Some- 
thing to  ask  you,"  he  whispered  with  a  hand-pres- 
sure full  of  meaning. 

"  What  would  Antonio  say  ?  "  asked  Paul  re- 
proachfully, as  she  resumed  her  seat. 

"Why  should  he  care  any  more  than — you?" 
she  queried,  peering  wistfully  at  him  through  the 
gloom;  then,  noting  the  look  of  abstraction  that 
had  already  crept  into  his  eyes,  she  added,  "  And 
you  don't  care,  not  a  little  bit." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  do,  little  sister,"  he  replied,  "  and  if 
Richard  Eldreth  doesn't  quit  coming  to  Quarry 
Town  like  a  thief  by  night,  I'm  going  to  inform 
one  Michael  Bradley.  Eldreth  has  no  business  here." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  91 

"  I  ain't  your  sister,"  snapped  the  girl,  "  and  for 
all  you  know  the  Boss  sends  him  up  here  to  keep 
an  eye  to  the  quarries.  Guess  he's  studied  geo — 
what  do  you  call  it?  about  rocks,  as  well  as  you 
have." 

Paul  smiled  his  flitting  little  smile.  "  If  Mr. 
Richard  Huntington  Eldreth  were  under  oath,  he 
couldn't  distinguish  sandstone  from  sapolio.  Ah, 
good  evening,  Bradley.  May  I  have  half  an  hour 
with  you?  You  don't  mind  talking  business  on 
Sunday?" 

So  for  more  than  an  hour,  the  ranch  foreman 
and  the  foreman  of  the  quarries  sat  smoking  wholly 
absorbed  in  affairs  concerning  the  men,  their  work, 
the  monthly  output,  freight  rates,  contracts,  and 
lastly,  Ingham  and  the  union.  When  the  younger 
man  arose  to  go,  the  elder  was  saying : 

"  If  the  Boss  thinks  anybody  else  can  get  more 
work  out  of  them  Swedes  and  Irish,  he's  wel- 
come to  a  new  foreman.  I  ain't  no  nigger-driver. 
I've  got  the  best  crew-foremen  I  can  pick,  and  every 
man-jack  of  them  works  full  time.  Myself  ain't 
took  a  day  off  since  you  an'  me  located  our  hole 
up  to  Ward;  an'  from  the  way  that  hole's  showin' 
up,  you  or  me  ought  to  be  up  there  right  now.  As 
fer  workin'  furder  north  in  the  quarries,  you  know 
yourself  how  that  hull  ledge  jest  peters  out.  What's 
the  use  of  foolin'  time  workin'  through  that  truck? 


92  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

An'  about  Ingham :  he'll  be  here  tomorrow,  an'  if 
these  here  men  want  a  union,  I  ain't  the  one  to  say 
no,  you  bet.  Good  Lord,  Paul,  we've  got  some 
rights,  if  we  don't  know  much  above  drillin'  an' 
blastin'." 

"  You  certainly  have,  Bradley,"  agreed  the  other 
pacifically.  "  If  the  men  wish  to  organize,  well  and 
good.  This  is  a  free  country.  I'll  meet  this  man 
Ingham  a  moment  in  the  morning  when  I  come  up. 
Better  put  about  three  teams  on  the  north  side  to- 
morrow, work  through  that  slant  and  see  what's  be- 
yond. You  know  and  I  know  that  Mr.  Eldreth 
has  not  been  in  the  quarries  in  person  for  many 
months.  You  could  not  expect  that.  But  I  am  here 
to  represent  him,  since  Ben  cannot  be,  and  while, 
personally,  I  prefer  to  take  your  judgment  as  to 
the  direction  for  blasting,  I  see  nothing  for  it  but 
to  carry  out  his  orders  to  the  letter;  and  this  I 
must  insist  upon.  Good  night.  I'll  see  you  in  the 
morning  just  before  I  open  the  office." 

As  he  turned  to  go,  he  noticed  for  the  first  time, 
Ruth  sitting  in  her  little  rocker,  her  hat  on,  and  a 
hymn-book  in  her  lap. 

"  My  dear  Ruth ! "  he  exclaimed,  conscience- 
stricken,  "  I  do  beg  your  pardon.  We  got  to  talk- 
ing, you  see  and — But  why  did  you  not  speak  ?  Tell 
your  father  right  here  and  now  that  I  may  never 
come  again.  I  deserve  just  that." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  93 

"  You  came  to  see  him  anyhow,  you  know  you 
did,"  she  pouted,  despite  her  father's  presence. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  did,"  he  confessed,  "  Anyway  it  is 
too  late  for  church  now,  and  it  is  certainly  my  loss. 
A  week  from  next  Sunday  for  the  morning  service, 
if  Antonio  will  not  be  down,  and  I'll  steal  some  roses 
from  Helene  for  you  to  wear." 

"  Don't  want  none  of  their  old  roses  from  up 
there,"  she  said  pettishly;  but  nevertheless,  she  fol- 
lowed him  to  the  gate. 

"  Miss  Lilys  is  goin'  away,  ain't  she,  for  a  whole 
year  ?  "  she  asked,  trying  to  catch  his  expression 
through  the  dark. 

"  I  believe  so,"  he  answered  coldly,  closing  the 
gate  between  them. 

"  And  it's  really  true  that  she's  promised  to  that 
Mr.  DeLacy.  He's  asked  her  father.  Hilma  said 
Lena  told  her.  Had  you  heard  ?  " 

"  How  should  I  ?  What  business  have  you  and 
I,  Ruth,  with  affairs  up  at  the  House  ? '  Good 
night,"  and  he  went  abruptly. 


"  If  that  was  Dick  Eldreth  I  met  comin'  away 
from  here,  I  want  it  to  be  the  last  time,  young 
lady,"  remarked  her  father  severely,  before  he  left 
her  in  the  porch.  "  He's  hangin'  round  Hilma  An- 
derson, too,  and  a-lendin'  her  father  money  without 
interest.  When  fine  gentlemen  talk  soft  to  girls 


94  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

like  you,  they  don't  mean  no  good,  unless  they  talk 
marry,  which  they  never  do.  An'  I'll  settle  him, 
if  he  is  the  Boss's  son.  You  stick  to  your  kind. 
Antonio's  a  good  enough  son-in-law  fer  me  when 
you're  old  enough." 

"Is  Paul  our  kind?"   asked   Ruth   archly. 

"  I  should  say  not,"  growled  her  father,  "  but  he 
wouldn't  thank  anybody  to  call  him  a  gent,  neither, 
'cause  he's  a  sight  more'n  that.  Who  was  it  got 
all  our  wages  raised  last  time — all  but  his  own? 
Who  stayed  here  day  and  night  when  your  ma  died  ? 
An'  whose  money  buried  her,  I  bein'  swamped  jest 
then?" 

But  her  question  gave  Michael  Bradley  an  idea. 
His  and  Paul's  mine  up  at  Ward  was  a  bonanza, 
if  the  expert's  report  meant  anything,  most  as  good 
as  anything  Ward  had  yet  shown  up.  Paul  was  a 
straight,  clean  fellow,  if  his  father  had  been  a 
reprobate;  Ruth  was  pretty;  and  why  not  just  keep 
that  mine  in  the  family? 


"  Buenas  tardes,  Seiiorita  hermosisima!  " 

"  My   sakes,   Tonie  Garia,  how   you   scart  me ! 

Dear  me,  don't  be  so  rough.     Sit  down,  can't  you? 

How  awful  late  you  are.     I  might  have  been  a-bed, 

or  to  church.     I've  had  two  fellows  tonight,  fine 

o 

gentlemen,  and  both  wanted  me  to  go  with  them," 
and  the  girl  tossed  her  pretty  curly  head,  eyeing 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  95 

her  lover  by  the  light  of  the  lamp  her  father  had  left 
inside  the  door  for  her. 

Antonio's  black  eyes  glittered  and  his  swarthy 
face  flamed,  as  he  pulled  her  fiercely  from  her  little 
rocker  to  the  porch  bench  beside  him. 

"  I  know  who,  for  I  met  one  of  them  as  I  rode 
up  the  hill  just  now.  If  Menendez  is  keeping  me 
up  at  the  mill  for  that  reason,  he's  not  the  man  I 
think  him,  that's  all.  I'm  not  a  cutter ;  I'm  a  quarry- 
man,  and  I  belong  here.  As  for  the  fine  gentleman, 
if  ever  I  catch  Dick  Eldreth  inside  this  gate,  if  ever 
he  touches  the  hem  of  your  dress,  I'll  cut  his  dirty 
heart  out.  I  came  the  cross-cut  and  round  the  old 
orchard,  because  of  that  bad  culvert,  and  there  he 
was  with  Hilma  in  the  hammock  back  of  the  tennis 
court.  And  Pepito  says  he  saw  them  once  up  at 
the  old  quarries.  Isn't  Swensson  a  damn  fool  to 
stand  it?  Ah!  que  necio!  Murder?  Sure.  But 
you  keep  straight  with  me  and  there'll  be  no  need. 
You  are  going  to  marry  me,  ME — me  comprehende 
vd? "  shaking  her  roughly  by  both  shoulders. 
:<  You've  promised,  and  so  has  your  father,  and 
you'd  best  not  play  loose  with  me." 

The  girl,  half-frightened,  began  to  whimper, 
"  Tonie,  dear,  you  hurt.  It's  you  I  care  for,  you 
know."  Whereupon  Antonio's  fierceness  vanished, 
a  melting  look  crept  into  his  black  eyes,  his  hands 
dropped  from  her  shoulders  to  her  wais*  and  he 
drew  her  up  against  him,  murmuring : 


96  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  There,  there,  poor  little  Ruthie.  I'm  a  big 
rough  bear  beside  you,  but  I  love  you  so.  Yo  no 
estoy  enfadado.  There,  do  not  weep,  mi  alma." 


But  when  Ruth  had  put  out  her  little  lamp,  some 
hours  later,  and  crept  into  bed,  it  was  not  of  An- 
tonio's black  eyes  and  hot  kisses  she  lay  thinking, 
but  of  the  blue  eyes,  the  strong  unbearded  lips  of 
Paul  Menendez  and  of  the  flattering  events  of  the 
evening.  "  My  dear  Ruth,"  he  had  called  her,  and 
how  sweetly  he  had  said,  "  Oh,  yes  I  do,  little  sister." 
Did  he  care?  Could  he  be  made  a  little  speck 
jealous?  If  she  thought  so,  she'd  go  walking  with 
Mr.  Richard  right  past  Marah's  when  she  knew 
Paul  was  home.  Mr.  Richard  was  good-looking 
too ;  he  had  held  her  hand  and  kissed  it  too,  before 
they  were  interrupted.  He  had  asked  her  what 
she  wanted  for  her  birthday  when  she'd  told  him  it 
was  next  week,  and  she,  after  much  coaxing,  had 
told  him  a  heart-bracelet.  But  now,  after  what  her 
father  and  Antonio  had  said,  she  must  tell  him 
that  he  wouldn't  dare  come  there  any  more.  But 
there  was  Red  Cliff,  and  who  would  blame  her  for 
meeting  him  just  this  once?  What  could  a  poor 
girl  do,  who  was  denied  company  at  home?  Any- 
way, she  must  meet  him  somewhere  to  tell  him  about 
her  father  and  her  betrothed.  Hilma  would  crow 
over  her  tomorrow ;  but  she,  Ruth,  would  take  pains 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  97 

to  let  her  know  that  he  had  been  to  Bradley's  first 
and  that  he  took  Hilma  because  he  couldn't  get  her. 
Mr.  Richard  had  said  he  thought  her  much  prettier 
than  Hilma,  and  Hilma  should  know  that  too.  .  .  . 
Well,  she'd  go  to  Red  Cliff  just  this  once;  no  harm 
in  that,  with  Tonie  up  at  the  mill. 


98  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"  SOMETHING  DESPERATE." 

LILYS  held  her  head  very  high  when  at  last  her 
father  passed  her  on  his  way  up  stairs,  and  she 
vouched  no  word  of  good-night,  though  she  knew 
he  was  to  leave  in  the  morning  before  the  family 
was  astir. 

When  she  heard  his  room  door  close,  she  vented 
her  long-nursed  wrath  by  walking  wildly  up  and 
down  the  porch,  her  arms  flung  out,  her  breath  com- 
ing more  and  more  quickly. 

She  was  too  much  absorbed  in  her  troubles  to 
notice  Paul  when,  returning  to  write  the  Denver 
collectors,  he  unlocked  the  office,  the  room  which 
formed  the  L  at  the  north  end  of  the  veranda. 
And  she  neither  saw  nor  heard  DeLacy — almost 
ran  into  his  arms  at  the  office  end  of  the  veranda, 
where  the  shadows  were  deepest. 

She  brought  up  short.  He  could  not  see  her  face 
distinctly,  but  he  heard  her  panting  breath  and  the 
sharp  tap  of  her  impatient  foot  and  at  once  divined 
the  cause  of  her  agitation. 

When  she  recognized  him  through  the  gloom, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  99 

she  railed  out  at  him  as  the  cause  of  all  her  woes. 
She  considered  his  over-persuasion  of  her  father 
as  outrageous,  a  breach  of  hospitality,  shameful, 
unheard  of;  and  if  she  was  made  to  go  as  one  of  his 
party,  she'd  not  speak  to  him  all  the  way  to  Boston, 
nor  ever  again — so  there ! 

He  did  not  enter  a  protest  nor  attempt  self-de- 
fense. It  would  have  been  more  than  futile;  it 
would  have  been  impossible.  Expostulation,  oppo- 
sition in  what  form  soever,  would  have  been  lost  in 
the  torrent  of  hysterical  reproaches  with  which  she 
deluged  his  devoted  head.  He  took  it  calmly.  He 
knew  the  sex;  its  little  inconsistencies.  He  knew 
that  in  a  short  time,  his  "outrageous  over-persua- 
sion "  must  stand  in  its  true  light  as  proof  of  his 
growing  passion  for  her. 

So  he  waited  till,  exhausted,  she  flung  herself 
against  the  railing  near  him.  Then  he  began  in  a 
soft,  reproachful  tone : 

"  It  is  not  possible  that  your  brother  was  right, 
that  you  would  rather  continue  your  living  burial 
here  on  this  sequestered  ranch  than  to  go  where 
pleasure  and  triumphs  and  the  world's  adoration 
await  you?  May  I  ask  why  you  do  not  want  to 
go?" 

The  breath  quickened,  the  foot's  tatoo  increased. 

"  No,  no,  you  may  not.  Because  I  don't — that's 
reason  enough;  and  I  won't;  or  if  I  go,  if  I'm 


ioo  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

made  to,  I'll  do  something  he'll  be  sorry  for.  Oh, 
I  wish  I  could  do  something  desperate,  wicked — I 
only  wish  I  could.  And  I  will  yet  if  he  drives  me 
away.  He'll  see !  "  and  she  flung  her  arms  along 
the  railing  behind  her,  the  very  attitude  of  reckless 
abandon. 

DeLacy  drew  nearer  and  began  stroking  one  of 
her  little  clutched  hands. 

"  It  is  a  shame  to  send  you  so  far,"  he  soothed, 
struggling  with  an  impulse  to  crush  the  mutinous 
little  thing  in  his  arms  and  stifle  her  with  kisses, 
"  There  are  conservatories  nearer,  and  indeed  I 
urged  your  own  State  Conservatory,  which  is  high- 
class,  I  understand." 

"  Oh,  he  won't  listen  to  Denver.  It's  been  noth- 
ing but  Boston,  B-o-s-t-o-n,  ever  since  he  talked  with 
that  aunt  of  yours;  and  I  hate  her  and  her  Boston 
and  music  and  everything  and  everybody.  Oh, 
he'll  be  sorry.  I  mean  to  do  something;  there's 
a  week  yet.  He'll  see." 

His  sympathetic  fingers  pressed  round  her  venge- 
ful little  ball  of  a  fist,  and  he  came  still  nearer, 
lowering  his  voice: 

"  I  have  it.  For  a  week  Dick  has  been  at  me  to  go 
down  to  Denver.  You  come  with  us.  There'll  be 
theatres,  the  Overland  races,  the  gardens  and  Mani- 
tou  if  you  like.  We'll  have  the  time  of  our  lives, 
and  you  can  kill  your  bird  with  our  stone.  We  can 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  101 

dodge  your  father  all  right.  He  always  puts  up  at 
the  Brown.  Will  all  this  be  wicked  enough  for 
you?  If  not,  command  me!  " 

The  girl  laughed,  but  her  laugh  was  not  mirth- 
ful. 

"  Good,  fine.  Dix  shall  take  Nina,  and  we  four 
will  stay  the  whole  week  long;  no  practice,  no  stud- 
ies, no  dressmaker — nothing,  only  straight  fun. 
We'll  go  on  the  same  train  with  him;  will  board 
it  just  as  it  starts,  and  he  can't  help  himself." 

"  You  make  me  very  happy,"  murmured  the  man, 
his  other  hand  closing  gently  over  her  relaxing 
fingers,  "  how  happy  you  know  if  you  are  not  wholly 
blind.  O  little  one,  don't  you  know  you  are  beauti- 
ful, glorious?  Dieu  des  Dieux!  Don't  you  know 
you  are  a  full-blown  woman,  wasting  voice  and 
beauty  and  self  in  this  desert?  Why,  you  haven't 
the  vaguest  dream  of  what  love  is — love,  the  only 
thing  that  makes  life  worth  while.  And  you  were 
created  to  love,  to  be  loved,  to  be  desired,  (devoured, 
I  had  almost  said!)  ;  you  were  made  to  know  life, 
the  rapture,  the  heights,  the  depths.  But  we'll 
have  at  least  one  week  of  real  living,  even  though 
after  my  aunt  comes  we'll  see  but  little  of  one 
another,  that  is,  alone.  Be  kind  to  me,  little  girl, 
and  let  me  have  you  all  to  myself  for  one  sweet, 
short  week.  Let's  cut  Dick  and  the  other  girl. 
Two  is  company.  There's  a  train  an  hour  earlier 


102  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

than  your  father's.  He'll  not  know.  He'll  think 
we  are  all  in  bed  yet.  And  you  can  fix  us  up  for 
horses.  Now,  if  you  mean  what  you  say;  if  it  isn't 
all  a  big  Western  bluff;  if  you  really  want  to  do 
something  that  will  count,  come  with  me  alone. 
Chaperones  are  not  necessities  here  in  your  free 
West.  You  Colorado  girls  can  do  things  like  that 
and  still  be  proper  of  course.  Never  fear  but  I'll 
fix  it  up  with  your  father  afterward.  Why,  if  we 
four  went  together  for  our  little  fling,  he  would 
merely  laugh  at  you.  What  would  that  amount 
to?" 

When  he  paused,  she  remained  silent,  and  tak- 
ing the  silence  as  encouragement,  he  pressed  his 
advantage. 

"  And  listen :  If  you  want  revenge  that  would 
be  revenge,  make  it  Cheyenne  instead  of  Denver. 
I  happen  to  know  that  he  hates  the  town.  So  that 
would  be  something  like;  only  it  will  take  nerve 
on  your  part.  Come,  I  dare  you !  " 

He  could  not  see  her  face,  near  as  he  was;  he 
could  only  divine  her  intent  from  the  attempted 
withdrawal  of  her  hand.  He  must  not  lose  the  ad- 
vantage gained.  With  a  sudden  movement  he 
crushed  her  close  against  him,  whispering  with 
his  breath  on  her  cheek,  "  Come !  I  can  give  you 
what  you  must  have  to  be  happy;  what  nature 
meant  you  should  have  when  she  made  you " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  103 

And  at  that  exact  instant  the  office  door  opened 
and  a  flood  of  light  streamed  out.  The  man  leaped 
backward  and  began  fumbling  at  the  wisteria,  and 
an  awkward  pause  ensued. 

Paul  reached  and  extinguished  the  last  of  the 
hanging  lamps,  came  out  and  closed  the  door  behind 
him.  He  was  a  long  time  fastening  it,  the  key  in 
the  lock  making  the  only  sound.  None  of  the 
three  moved  or  spoke  for  a  full  minute.  Then 
Paul's  even  voice  said  : 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  before  I  go  I  must  give 
you  Mr.  Allan's  message,  Lilys.  He  expects  your 
herbarium  completed  before  you  leave.  The  mal- 
lows you  lack  are  plentiful  on  the  Lower  Ranch 
road  and  there  are  a  few  of  the  sedges  and  ferns  up 
the  second  right  gulch  of  the  canon." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  replied  in  a  low  voice  and 
moved  away  toward  the  open  hall  door. 

But  DeLacy,  recovering  himself,  took  a  hasty,  in- 
tercepting stride. 

"Then  it  is  settled — our  arrangement?" 

"  And  you  had  best  secure  them  early,  as  the 
day  promises  to  be  showery." 

Paul  was  on  the  first  descending  step  of  the 
veranda,  the  girl  between  the  two  men,  and  all 
three  in  the  white  light  of  the  hall  chandelier. 

DeLacy  saw  her  turn,  as  though  by  compulsion, 
and  lift  her  eyes.  With  swift  jealousy,  he  read 


104  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  anxious  tenderness  of  the  gaze  that  met  and  held 
hers ;  saw  her  quick  flush  answer  that  gaze.  What 
her  eyes  said,  he  could  only  surmise,  as  her  back 
was  toward  him. 

"  I  will  stop  at  the  Rectory  and  tell  Mr.  Allan 
you'llbring  them  by  noon."  It  was  an  affirmation, 
not  a  question.  "  Good-night" 

Paul  replaced  his  hat,  took  two  downward  steps, 
then  stopped. 

There  was  a  commingling  of  unreadable  emotions 
on  the  girl's  face.  She  moved  toward  the  veranda 
steps,  hesitated,  then  turned  slowly  and  entered  the 
hall  and  paused  with  her  hand  on  the  banister. 

DeLacy  followed  quickly.  "  Come,  let  us  sing 
till  Dick  gets  home.  It  is  early  yet,"  he  said  with 
studied  nonchalance ;  then,  under  his  breath,  "  You 
promised.  I  shall  be  waiting." 

With  a  glance  he  could  not  interpret  (it  was 
scarcely  fear)  she  went  on  up  the  long  stairway, 
without  looking  back. 

Deeply  chagrined,  he  turned  toward  the  parlor  to 
await  her  possible  return.  But  he  was  intercepted. 
With  a  bound,  Paul  Menendez  confronted  him,  his 
hands  clenched,  his  eyes  narrowing. 

"  No,  you'll  not  be  waiting." 

DeLacy  was  taken  by  surprise,  but  he  deliberately 
put  up  his  eye-glass  and  swept  the  coarse-clad  fig- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  105 

ure  up  and  down,  and  down  and  up,  with  a  glance 
that  was  itself  an  insult. 

"  A  .  .  .  h,  my  good  fellow,"  he  drawled,  "  er 
.  .  .  er  .  .  .  whom  have  I  the  honor?  Oh,  the 
coachman,  I  believe." 

The  "  good  fellow "  went  a  shade  whiter,  but 
his  tense  attitude  did  not  relax.  Though  the  East- 
erner sensed  danger  in  the  pale  face  and  steady  eyes, 
he  questioned  with  insolent  bravado : 

"  Pray,  what  will  the  coachman  do?  " 

The  monocle  came  down  and  their  eyes  met. 
Stranger  estimated  stranger.  Man  measured  man. 
Paul's  hands  unclosed  and  his  lips  trembled  into 
a  scornful  smile. 

"  Nothing;  for  you  will  not  be  waiting." 

DeLacy  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  There  are 
other  ways ;  other  occasions." 

Paul  came  closer.  He  spoke  slowly,  distinctly. 
"  Get  her  alone,  just  once,  or  dare  to  put  your  vile 
hands  on  her  again,  and  I'll  break  your  head,  you 
damned  cur." 

The  other  moved  backward  slightly,  but  he  put 
a  telling  question,  "  What  is  she  to  you?  " 

Paul  disdained  reply,  but  to  his  deep  vexation  he 
felt  the  hot  blood  leap  even  to  his  hair. 

DeLacy's  short  laugh  spoke  volumes.  "  So  that's 
it.  My  Lady,  who  is  so  indifferent  to  her  equals, 
chooses  her  paramour  irom  among  her  father's 


io6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

stablemen.    Good !    It'll  be  only  a  year,  then  he  can 

have  her  again,  when  I'm  through " 

*  *  * 

The  man  got  to  his  feet  slowly,  back  near  the 
hall-tree,  and  stood  swaying,  one  hand  pressed  over 
his  mouth.  The  crushing  grip  on  his  left  wrist 
served  in  a  way  to  steady  him,  but  the  words  spoken 
close  to  his  ear  sounded  far  off  and  fragmentary. 

"  Coward  .  .  .  liar,"  these  he  heard  unmistak- 
ably, and  ..."  harm  a  hair  of  her  head  ....  as 

we  are  both  living  men have  your  life  for 

it  ..."  and  something  more  about  the  earth  not 
being  able  to  hide  him. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  107 


CHAPTER  X. 

SCORES  ACCUMULATE. 

RICHARD  returned  to  breakfast  Monday  morning 
decidedly  unamiable,  and  that  is  putting  it  mildly. 
He  was  hungry  and  sleepy  and  disappointed.  He 
had  risen  quite  early  for  him,  and  all  for  nothing. 
He  had  peered  round  Red  Cliff  in  time  to  catch 
a  glimpse  of  Ruth  walking  back  toward  the  quar- 
ries and  beside  her,  Paul,  the  bridle  of  his  horse 
over  his  arm. 

These  two  had  approached  the  Cliff  from  opposite 
directions  and  Richard,  well-concealed,  had  waited, 
confident  in  the  girl's  tact  to  overcome  so  slight 
an  obstacle  to  their  tryst.  It  was  with  chagrin, 
therefore,  that  he  saw  the  two  walk  away  together; 
and  he  set  down  score  number  one  against  his 
father's  foreman. 

But  he  did  not  give  up  so  easily.  Straight 
through  the  main  street  of  Quarry  Town  he 
marched,  past  the  little  red  story-and-a-half  cot- 
tages that  were  all  alike,  and  straight  up  to  Brad- 
ley's.  But  he  did  not  stop;  for  there  stood  Paul, 
the  quarry  superintendent  and  a  stranger,  while 


io8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Ruth  with  her  sewing  was  in  the  rocker  near  by. 
She  did  not  lift  her  head,  but  he  knew  she  saw  him, 
for  under  his  gaze  the  blood  dyed  her  face  and  neck. 
After  a  few  moments'  chat  at  the  gate  across  the 
street  with  Hilma  (the  recent  arrival  from  Chicago 
and  a  contestant  for  Ruth's  laurels  as  belle  of  the 
village)  he  returned  home,  in  his  heart  setting  down 
score  number  two  against  Paul. 

At  the  House  he  found  the  reception-hall  ob- 
structed with  packages,  where  a  patient-looking  wo- 
man waited;  and  DeLacy,  up  since  dawn,  pacing 
the  breakfast  room  alone. 

Helene  opened  the  door.  Would  the  gentlemen 
be  served  now  or  wait  for  Miss  Lilys?  Mr.  El- 
dreth  had  been  served  and  gone. 

"  Right  now,  old  girl,  I'm  starving.  And  I  hear 
Babe  coming.  I  say,  Bertie,  I'm  off  for  Denver, 
myself.  That  woman  and  those  bundles  in  the  hall 
mean  dressmaking  for  a  holy  week,  and  the  Babe 
will  be  in  such  a  state  of  mind.  You'll  be  glad  to 
make  your  escape.  I'll  bring  you  back  Saturday, 
fairly  sober  and  in  good  time  for  the  governor's 
gang  and  the  pot-hunting.  Your  aunt  will  not  be 
down  till  Monday  morning." 

"  Dick,"  said  his  companion  slowly,  unfolding  his 
napkin,  "  she's  in  love,  I  tell  you.  She  may  not 
know  it  herself  yet,  but  I  know  it.  I  am  acquainted 
with  the  eternal  feminine  from  A  to  and-so-forth, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  109 

and  then  some,  as  you  Westerners  say.  If  she  isn't, 
for  one  thing,  why  doesn't  she  want  to  go  away?  " 

"  And  for  another  thing,  why  is  she  proof  against 
your  1 2o-in-the-shade  love-making?  Eh?  In  love! 
with  whom,  pray?  The  Parson,  the  bernards  or  her 
doll-baby?  Rats!  I  thought  you  really  knew  girls, 
Bert." 

"  You'll  see." 

"  See  what?  "  laughed  Lilys,  entering  and  taking 
the  place  across  table  from  him. 

"  The  most  beautiful  woman  in  Colorado,  whom 
all  insist  on  miscalling  '  Babe/  "  promptly  averred 
DeLacy,  scanning  her  face  greedily  for  a  sign  of 
self-consciousness  at  memory  of  last  night's  inter- 
view. But  she  was  stifling  a  half  yawn  behind  her 
napkin  and  was  looking  curiously  at  the  still-red 
finger-marks  on  his  left  wrist.  He  turned  his  hand 
deftly  back  into  his  deep  cuff  and  wondered  if  she 
had  overheard  the  altercation  at  the  foot  of  the 
stairs. 

Richard  was  drinking  his  coffee  gloomily.  "  You 
don't  get  much  service  these  days  out  of  your 
humble  and  one  time  devoted  minion,  Menendez,  do 
you,  Babe?  He  seems  to  be  pretty  damned  busy 
with  other  people's  business." 

"  Who  is  Men-en-dez?  "  questioned  the  alert  De- 
Lacy, quick  to  note  the  flush  that  mounted  to  the 
girl's  black  hair.  He  pronounced  the  name  with  the 


no  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

buzzing  "  z  "  sound,  instead  of  the  soft,  terminal 
"  th." 

"  One  of  the  hired  men,  cow-puncher,  coachman, 
general  roust-about." 

"  It's  no  such  thing,"  flared  his  sister,  "  He  is 
Papa's  foreman  and  book-keeper." 

"  And  keeper  of  the  keys ;  a  sort  of  trusty  during 
good  behavior.  He's  the  son  of  a  servant-girl,  com- 
mon-law wife  of  a  cross-breed  sheep-herder,  Mexi- 
can peon,  fugitive  from  justice."  Richard  was 
enjoying  the  sound  of  his  own  voice  to  the  neglect 
of  porter-house  and  omelette.  Always  voluble,  his 
unstinted  helping  to  "  the  governor's  scotch  "  had 
further  loosened  his  tongue.  "  You  see,  the  gov- 
ernor took  up  the  cause  of  Menendez  senior 
(tender-hearted;  we  Eldreths  all  are!)  and  paid  a 
sort  of  instalment  ransom  for  the  fellow  because 
he  was  so  sheep-wise.  But  the  peon  always  went 
round  on  the  skulk,  the  nature  of  the  tribe,  kind  o' 
kept  looking  back  over  his  shoulder.  Well,  one  day 
he  forgot  to  look,  or  was  too  drunk,  and  they  (who- 
ever 'they'  were)  got  him.  He  was  found  next 
morning  up  the  Canon,  swinging  gracefully  by  the 
neck,  and  on  his  breast,  in  some  Mexican  lingo, 
was  a  warning  to  all  his  kind,  treachery  being  named 
as  one  of  his  little  failings.  You  may  see  the  tree 
yet  well  up  the  Canon,  on  the  short-cut  to  the  mill, 
— a  big  cotton  wood,  the  Menendez  family  tree,  if 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  in 

you  please,  to  which  they  point  -withotit  pride.  The 
execution  limb  is  dead,  and  there  are  seven  deep 
notches,  the  number  of  vigilantes,  supposedly.  That 
was  some  twenty  years  ago.  His  only  son  was  a 
posthumous  affair;  he  did  not  honor  our  planet  with 
his  presence  until  some  weeks  after  his  noble  sire 
had  swung  off  it.  Born  in  a  hut,  bred  on  a  horse, 
the  infernal " 

"  He  is  too  well  bred  to  swear  before  a  lady," 
interrupted  his  sister,  "  and  Uncle  says  he  has  ten 
times  your  education.  Who  was  it  solved  the 
problem  given  up  by  your  whole  class,  the  solution 
of  which  was  afterward  published  in  the  University 
Herald  over  your  signature?  " 

"  Oh,  sure.  He's  a  lexicon  on  legs,  Socrates  in 
the  saddle,  Heroditus  on  horseback,  combined 
lightning  calculator  and  Learned  Blacksmith,  special 
annotated  edition  bound  in  blonde  calf.  You  should 
come  up  against  him,  Bertie ;  he  seldom  fails  to  leave 
his  impression." 

DeLacy  puzzled  over  the  laughing  glance  the 
girl  threw  his  way,  but  he  pulled  covertly  at  his  left 
cuff  and  maintained  a  wise  silence. 

"  As  I  was  saying,  this  triple  extract  of  all  that 
is  good  and  true  and  beautiful  was  bound  out  to  us 
to  help  reimburse  the  governor  for  part  of  the  ran- 
som graft.  He  was  raised  on  the  place  here,  was 
turned  over  to  the  Babe  and  became  a  sort  of  gentle- 


ii2  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

man  of  the  bedchamber.  Used  to  fasten  your 
frocks  and  plait  your  hair,  didn't  he?  Well,  he  nat- 
urally grew  puffed  up  and  officious,  after  the  man- 
ner of  inferiors  with  a  little  brief  authority.  I 
recollect  once  he  came  near  giving  me  a  thrashing; 
took  virtuous  spasms  because  I  slapped  Sis,  whom 
he  considered  his  special  charge.  We  were  kids 


"  '  Once  ' !  '  Nearly  ' !  Oh,  hear  him,"  laughed 
Lilys,  setting  her  cup  down.  "  Why,  he  pounded 
you  shamefully,  though  you  were  three  years  the 
older  and  much  larger  then ;  sat  on  you  till  I  begged 
for  you.  I  recollect  how  frightened  I  was  because 
your  nose  bled  so;  also  how  many  promises  you 
made  him  before  he  would  let  you  up.  And  that 
wasn't  the  first  time  nor  the  last  time,  either.  How 
about  the  night  you  hired  Shorty  Anderson  to  help 
you  whip  him  ?  What  did — what  did't  he  do  to  both 
of  you?  Shorty  lost  half  a  month's  work,  and  you 
weren't  presentable  for  a  week.  And  who  always 
killed  snakes  for  me?  Who  found  me  when  I  was 
lost  that  stormy  night  when  you  were  afraid  to 
join  the  searchers  ?  If  a  boy  teased  me  and  I  wanted 
him  punished,  to  whom  did  I  appeal,  to  Dix  or  to 
Paul  ?  Oh,  whatever  else  you  may  say,  he  is  afraid 
of  no  one,  not  even  of  Papa.  And  it  hasn't  been 
so  long  ago  that  I  heard  him  very  bluntly  inform 
Mr.  Richard  Eldreth  that  he,  Paul  Menendez,  was 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  113 

foreman  of  this  ranch  and  that  he  would  be  greatly 
obliged  if  you  would  not  try  to  countermand  his 
orders.  Didn't  he,  now,  out  in  the  south  hay- 
fields?" 

"  Yes,  he  did,  the  impudent  dog !  And  if  he 
doesn't  keep  out  of  my  way,  I'll  spoil  that  smooth 
face  of  his." 

"  You'll  let  me  witness  the  '  spoiling,'  won't  you, 
Dix  dear?  And  you'd  enjoy  it,  too,  I'm  sure, 
wouldn't  you,  Mr.  DeLacy?" 

"  Well,  you'll  witness  it  all  right  if  he  doesn't  keep 
away  from  my  little  Irish  girl.  I've  run  up  against 
him  with  her  only  three  times  within  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours." 

Richard  attacked  his  steak  so  assiduously  that  he 
failed  to  note  the  quick  alteration  in  his  sister's  face; 
but  DeLacy  never  once  took  his  eyes  from  her. 

"  You  see,"  ended  Richard,  "  he  is  one  of  these 
elder  brothers  to  dear,  defenseless  little  girls,  being, 
himself,  absolutely  pure — like  Price's  baking  pow- 
der. He's  the  Parson's  pet,  the  white-cross, 
Frances  E.  Willard  brand;  none  genuine  without 
'  Meddler  '  blown  in  the  bottle." 

"  But  Ruth  is  engaged  to  be  married  to  Antonio 
Garia,"  faltered  Lilys. 

"  And  there  is  another  fellow  who's  going  to  have 
his  beauty  marred,"  remarked  her  brother. 

The   three   quitted   the   breakfast-room    for   the 


ii4  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

front  veranda.  The  morning  was  gray  with  a  hint 
of  moisture.  The  carriage  stood  at  the  block  and 
men  were  coming  and  going  from  the  office,  through 
the  open  door  of  which  Paul  could  be  seen  at  his 
desk.  Lilys  followed  her  brother  to  the  hammock 
at  the  far  end  of  the  veranda. 

"  Dixie,"  she  began  in  an  undertone,  "  I  don't 
want  you  to  leave  me  alone  with  Bert  DeLacy  ever 
again.  Uncle  Edwin  wouldn't  at  all  like  the  way  he 
talked  to  me  last  night.  I  do  not  know  half  he 
means,  but  he  almost  kissed  me — and  his  mouth  is 
so  big  and  wet — ugh ! "  And  with  her  handkerchief 
she  rubbed  vigorously  at  her  left  cheek. 

Her  brother  sent  up  a  whoop  of  laughter.  He 
turned  as  he  lounged  into  the  hammock  and  beck- 
oned DeLacy,  dropping  one  eyelid  jocosely. 

"  Bert,  me  son,  line  up  here  and  face  your  fair 
accuser.  Sir,  this  forlorn  damsel  is  turbulent  in 
spirit  for  the  very  sufficient  reason  that  you  under- 
took an  osculatory  application  last  night  and  you 
didn't  finish  the  job.  She  also  wants  an  expurgated 
reproduction  of  the  josh  you  were  giving  her  when 
you  made  your  attempt, — expurgated,  mind  you! 
She  appeals  to  my  honorable  self.  Now,  Mr.  Her- 
bert Scott-DeLacy,  shall  it  be  pistols  or  the  poker- 
deck?" 

The  face  of  the  accused  was  a  study  in  purple. 

"  If  only  Miss  Lilys  had  stayed  to  hear  my  plea 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  115 

for  forgiveness,"  he  murmured  abjectly,  "  She 
makes  no  allowance  for  her  beauty  and  power,  nor 
for  man's  peculiar  weakness.  Surely  I  have  been 
punished,  knowing  her  displeasure." 

The  girl  ignored  him  and  pressed  closer  to  the 
hammock  as  though  to  make  a  further  appeal,  but 
her  brother  cut  her  short. 

"  A  .  .  .  w !  come  off !  Thunderation,  Babe, 
what  an  infernal  racket  about  a  kiss  or  two.  Pity 
you  hadn't  the  sense  you  were  born  with.  Bert's 
a  fool  not  to  cut  you  for  Edna  Whitney  or  some 
other  full-grown  woman.  Run  away  and  play  with 
your  dollie  now;  don't  you  see  brother's  busy?" 
And  he  stretched  himself  luxuriantly  in  the  ham- 
mock and  reached  for  his  Police  Gazette. 

Lilys  whirled  about,  snatched  up  her  riding  skirt 
and  whip  from  a  chair  and  her  little  heels  fairly 
clicked  as  she  stalked  straight  down  the  porch.  De- 
Lacy  started  to  follow,  but  stopped,  swearing  elo- 
quently under  his  breath,  as  he  saw  her  enter  the 
open  door  of  the  office.  Richard  kicked  out  at  him, 
chuckling  gleefully. 

"  There,  let  her  go  tell  her  troubles  to  the  hired 
man.  He  can't  any  more  than  knock  you  down; 
law  against  murder  even  out  here  in  Colorado.  Be- 
sides, he'll  be  too  busy  playing  Mother  Winslow. 
They'll  be  out  in  the  bar,k  yard  pretty  soon  making 
mud-pies.  Now  will  you  be  good  and  go  with  me  ? 
Or  are  mud-pies  more  to  your  taste?  " 


n6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

His  companion  shook  his  head  pensively. 

"  No  use  trying  to  hide  it;  I'm  certainly  in  Jove 
this  time  an  seriev.x.  I  don't  like  to  leave;  I'm 
afraid  for  my  chances.  Dick,  you  don't  any  of  you 
seem  to  realize  that  girl's  possibilities,  nor  how 
near  she  is  to  their  full  blossoming.  She's  going  to 
make  a  magnificent,  a  wonderful  woman,  with  her 
thrilling  nerves,  her  passionate  senses.  And  hocv 
she  will  love!  How  she  will  go  to  pieces  at  the 
feet  of  her  hero,  and  love  and  love  and  love  him; 
enough  to  satisfy  a  Don  Juan ' 

"  Or  a  DeLacy.  Permit  me  to  add  that  he  will 
never  die  of  ennui,  thanks  to  her  lightning-change 
moods  and  her  rapid-transit  temper.  Numbers 
One  and  Two  and  even  Three  will  be  amply 
avenged." 

DeLacy  laughed.  "  I'd  damned  well  like  the 
chance  to  avenge  them  that  way.  Well,  whoever  he 
is,  he'll  have  to  make  that  honeymoon  his  exclusive 
business  or  quit  the  country,  for  she'll  brook  neither 
rivals  nor  neglect.  But  just  now  she's  asleep, 
dreaming." 

"  Get  busy  then,  Bluebeard,  and  wake  her.  My 
fraternal  duties  don't  extend  to  the  call-me-early  act. 
I've  a  Galatea  of  my  own.  Besides,  what  are  you 
here  for?" 

''  You  may  search  me,"  sighed  the  other.  "  Why, 
I've  talked  to  that  girl  as  I  never  talked  to  woman 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  117 

before,  but  she's  asleep,  I  tell  you,  or  else  there's 
some  other  man.  The  other  night  we  were  at  the 
piano,  lights  down,  and  we  were  alone.  I  had  been 
singing  '  Answer/  you  know  the  song : 

'  Until  into  your  eyes  I  gazed  and  knew 
My  search  was  o'er.' 

I  told  her  I  felt  that  my  search  through  earth's  mul- 
titudes for  my  affinity  was  ended  here  in  this  beauti- 
ful West,  where  I  had  looked  into  her  lovely  eyes — 
Oh,  hang  it  all,  Dick,  you  know  what  damfool  stuff 
a  fellow  has  to  talk;  they  will  have  it.  Well,  she 
dropped  her  eyes,  then  turned  and  looked  from  the 
window,  while  I  leaned  over,  fairly  holding  my 
breath  for  her  next  words.  I  waited  till  the  trainer 
passed  the  window  with  an  unruly  horse,  then  she 
looked  up  into  my  face  with  a  sweet  smile  and  I'm 
condemned  if  she  didn't  ask  me  which  I  preferred 
for  breaking  a  colt,  the  scissor-bits  or  the  long 
curb!" 

Richard  choked  back  his  laugh  and  offered  his 
cigarette-case  by  way  of  sympathy. 

"  But  it  will  come,  the  awakening,  and  that's  why 
I  don't  want  to  go  away ;  I  don't  want  to  miss  any- 
thing. Dick,  Dick,  I  know  what  a  woman  like  her 
could  give  to  a  man  if  she  cared,  and  I'd  give  my 
hopes  of  heaven,  if  I  have  any,  to  make  her  care." 


n8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

His  companion  sat  up  and  leaning,  spoke  con- 
fidentially : 

"  You  needn't  lose  sleep,  Bert.  Listen  :  I'll  give 
you  a  straight  tip.  The  governor's  set  on  the 
match ;  he  told  me  so.  And  that  means  that  whether 
she  cares  or  not,  whether  she's  asleep  or  awake,  she'll 
end  by  becoming  Mrs.  DeLacy  Number  Four  (or 
will  it  be  Five?"  this  with  a  malicious  twinkle). 
"  You've  visited  here  enough  to  know  that  what 
Eldreth  senior  says  goes.  She  hates  lessons  and  the 
piano,  but  she  studies  and  practices;  she  doesn't  want 
her  voice  trained,  but  it'll  be  trained.  The  Howard 
girl  and  I  bore  each  other  to  extinction,  but  it  will 
end  in  a  wedding,  see  if  it  doesn't.  When  you  and 
Mrs.  Four  visit  Eldhurst,  ten  years  hence,  I'll  be  the 
model  father  of  half  a  dozen  little  red-heads, — sure. 
The  governor's  It  at  this  ranch;  no  X-rays  needed 
to  see  that.  Babe's  bound  to  give  in,  sooner  or 
later ;  it's  the  only  way.  So  whether  you  go  or  stay 
this  week  will  make  no  difference.  And  besides, 
man,  aren't  you  going  to  have  a  year  of  her? 
Can't  you  wait  a  week  ?  Most  men  are  April  when 
they  woo,  but  you — by  the  great  horned  spoon — 
you  are  the  middle  of  August,  real  dog-days." 

DeLacy  sighed  dejectedly  and  puffed  at  his  cigar- 
ette in  silence  for  some  minutes. 

"  Dick,"  he  said  presently,  "  I  once  knew  a  girl 
in  Boston,  beautiful,  rich,  dead  swell,  and  by  George, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  119 

if  she  didn't  elope  with  one  of  her  father's  grooms ! 
Those  mesalliances  are  happenings  of  real  life — " 

"  Well,  her  father  wasn't  master  of  Eldhurst, 
else  there'd  have  been  a  hurry-up  job  for  the  under- 
taker, with  coffins  for  two,  see?  You're  borrowing 
trouble.  Cut  it  out,  I  tell  you.  Don't  be  an  ass. 
Come,  how  about  the  city  ?  " 

"  But  you've  only  one  girl." 

"  Only  one,  thanks  to  the  meddling  hired  man.  I 
ventured  to  approach  my  Galatea  about  a  visit  to 
the  city  just  for  pleasure,  but  she  would  not  think 
of  going  on  such  an  outing,  no  indeed,  not  prim 
Mile.  Nina  of  Prudeville.  She  couldn't  leave  the 
dear  dirty  little  Mexicans  and  Swedes  of  the  mis- 
sion school, — her  Duty,  with  full  size,  upper-case  D. 
She  wouldn't,  couldn't  deceive  her  poor  kind  old 
father;  she  wished  I  had  more  respect  for  her  than 
to  hint  such  a  thing,  dearly  as  she  loves  me.  And 
she  turned  her  big  reproachful  eyes  on  me,  forty- 
candle  power.  How  could  I  ask  it?  how  could  I? 
how  could  I  ?  She  kept  saying  it  over  and  over,  like 
a  blasted  phonograph  with  nothing  else  in  its  vo- 
cabulary." 

It  was  DeLacy's  turn  to  suppress  unseemly  mirth. 

"  I'd  like  to  say  something  about  your  fiancee 
unless,  of  course,  it's  as  dangerous  to  talk  of  her  as 
it  is  to  look  at  her." 

Eldreth  smoked  vigorously  for  a  minute. 


120  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  My  God,  I'd  like  to  hire  some  one  to  berate  her, 
since  it  seems  I  can't.  So  fire  away." 

"  This  is  no  berating.  It  is  only  that  if  I've  read 
her  aright  her  surrender  was  made,  even  to  the  right 
man,  with  a  distinct  reservation ;  while  your  sister's, 
to  the  right  man,  will  be  unconditional,  unquestion- 
ing. Miss  Howard  resembles  not  a  little  your  far- 
famed  Colorado  weather:  nine  months  winter  and 
three  months  mighty  late  in  the  fall." 

Richard  laughed  grimly. 

"  More  reservation  than  surrender.  If  you'd  wit- 
nessed our  parting  last  night — boreal,  icy,  glacial, 
b.  .  .  oo.  .  .  oo!  But  she  kissed  and  made  up 
with  her  wandering  boy,  let  him  stay  till  ten-thirty, 
sharp,  half  an  hour  longer  than  usual;  and  at  part- 
ing said  she'd  pray  for  me — hanged  if  she  didn't, 
Bertie!" 

"  Then  you're  not  going?  " 

"  Who  said  I  wasn't  ?  My  feminine  acquaint- 
ance isn't  limited  to  Boulder  county.  What's  the 
matter  with  the  Whitney  girls?  And  the  Blue 
Bell  Burlesque  Company  's  at  the  New  Curtis  for 
the  summer.  What's  wrong  with  the  little  bleached 
blonde  chorus  girls?  Ever  know  one  of  them  to 
complain  because  a  fellow  nearly  kissed  her?  Now, 
here's  another  tip.  Even  if  you  stayed  now  and 
kept  every  commandment,  you'd  not  get  Babe  alone 
for  five  minutes.  I  know  what  I'm  talking  about." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  121 

His  companion  flushed  causelessly  and  glanced 
resentfully  toward  the  office.  "  All  right,  Dick,  I'll 
go  you.  '  We  are  called  away  on  particular  business 
and  we  leave  our  characters  behind  us.'  But  you'll 
have  to  make  it  worth  my  while ;  you'll  have  to  lead 
me  into  temptation  to  some  extent — brimming 
buckets  of  red  paint  and  whole  flagons  of  forgetful- 
ness." 

"  Oh,  trust  your  Uncle  Dickie  for  the  jag  of  joy. 
Ye  gods !  but  I  feel  like  doing  it  up  good  and  plenty 
and  then  some.  If  I  stay  here  another  twenty-four 
hours,  Nina  will  have  me  distributing  tracts  and 
singing  'Why  Do  You  Wait,  Dear  Brother?'  It's 
that  noon  train  or  suicide.  I'm  low  in  spirits  and 
laudanum's  cheap.  Now  I've  got  to  be  gone  for 
awhile,  but  we'll  make  our  train  O.  K.  The  carriage 
is  ordered  for  it,  'cause  I  had  a  sneaking  idea  that 
I'd  not  go  by  myself.  You'll  have  time  to  patch  it 
up  with  the  Babe  and  get  that  God-forsaken  look 
rubbed  off.  I've  got  to  see  about  a  horse.  Heigh 
you,  Sam !  Bring  up  Hector  to  the  cart.  Come, 
get  a  jump  on  you,"  looking  at  his  watch. 

The  stable-boy  stopped  and  touched  his  cap. 

"  Hector's  double-harnessed  for  the  field,  sir." 

"  The  devil  he  is !  Well,  you  know  how  to  un- 
harness, don't  you  ?  " 

"  I  dunno  about  it,"  hesitated  the  boy,  his  fingers 
fumbling  his  hair,  "  I'd — you  see,  I'd  have  to  ask 
Menendez  first,  sir." 


122  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Be  damned  if  you  do!  You  have  that  cart  at 
the  block  by  time  I'm  down  stairs  or  you'll  be  hunt- 
ing a  job.  See?  " 

The  boy  paled  to  a  dirty  yellow  and  gulped  twice, 
but  he  shook  his  head. 

"  I  jus'  wouldn't  dare  to.  Hector  an'  Hebe's 
ready  to  hook  to  the  hayrack.  An'  besides,  I  had 
the  strictest  kind  of  orders  not  to  let  no  horses  out  of 
the  stables  this  mornin'  'cept  them  as  took  Mr. 
Eldreth  to  the  train,  an'  I  don't  know  how  long  the 
order  is  f'r, — not  till  Menendez  says,  you  know." 

"  Men-en-dez  seems  to  be  much  in  evidence  at 
Eldhurst,"  sneered  DeLacy. 

Richard  came  to  his  feet  with  an  ugly  oath. 

"  I'll  see  about  this,"  he  glowered. 

And  he  too  entered  the  office. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  123 


CHAPTER  XL 

MASTER. 

WHEN  the  master  of  Eldhurst  was  absent,  it  was 
Paul's  custom  to  spend  part  of  each  Monday  fore- 
noon in  the  office  attending  to  the  accumulated  cor- 
respondence, answering  questions  and  giving  direc- 
tions. 

The  office  of  Eldhurst,  as  has  been  said,  was  a 
large  northwest  room  on  the  ground  floor,  forming 
the  L  of  the  long  west  veranda,  with  both  an  outer 
and  an  inner  entrance.  It  had  a  large  bookcase,  two 
roll-top  desks,  a  safe,  a  typewriter,  a  letter-press 
and  other  office  fittings;  and  a  low  railing  divided 
the  room,  giving  the  back  part  semi-privacy. 

On  the  walls,  besides  maps  of  state  and  county 
and  pictures  of  fast  horses  and  pedigreed  dogs,  hung 
a  large  map  of  Eldhurst  itself,  showing  the  Upper 
and  the  Lower  Ranch,  portions  under  cultivation, 
every  ditch  and  sub- waterway,  the  roads,  the  quar- 
ries, old  and  new,  the  Swedish  village,  the  House, 
the  rectory,  the  Howard  mansion,  the  church,  and 
even  the  scattered  tenant  houses. 

Paul  sat  at  the  largest  of  the  desks,  which  was 


124  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

covered  with  an  orderly  array  of  papers.  He  was 
writing,  his  hat  pulled  low  over  his  eyes.  A  boy 
from  the  lumber  camp  was  outside  the  railing,  wait- 
ing to  take  a  letter  to  Webb,  the  mill  superintendent. 
In  front  of  the  house  William  stood  at  the  heads 
of  the  restless  sorrels,  and  Sam  was  tying  Bayonne, 
Paul's  saddle  horse. 

Lilys  entered  and  came  through  the  railing-gate. 
She  carried  her  riding  habit  and  was  still  walking 
emphatically. 

Paul  arose  as  she  entered,  removing  his  hat,  and 
without  looking  directly  at  her,  asked  how  he  might 
serve  her. 

She  would  want  Bonita  by  and  by,  she  said;  no 
hurry. 

At  the  moment  Pepito  came  in.  Would  he  bring 
Miss  Eldreth's  pony,  his  foreman  asked,  saddle  the 
roan  three-year-old  for  the  new  ditch-rider  and  then 
prepare  to  accompany  Ben  to  Idaho? 

Paul  sat  down  and  continued  writing.  Lilys  also 
seated  herself  near  the  railing,  picking  up  a  Denver 
paper  and  holding  a  long-stemmed  "  Hermosa  "  rose 
against  her  lips. 

The  inner  door  opened  and  Lena,  the  maid's  head 
appeared.  The  dressmaker  was  ready  to  fit  those 
linings.  Lilys  looked  up  impatiently.  Wasn't  she 
to  have  a  moment  free  from  that  woman  ?  "  But, 
please,"  began  Lena,  whereupon  the  mistress 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  125 

stamped  her  foot  petulantly  and  the  maid  vanished. 

Outside  the  railing  half  score  of  men  had  by  this 
time  assembled.  Paul  wrote  steadily,  sealed  half  a 
dozen  letters,  and  then  passed  through  the  railing- 
gate.  Lilys  idly  listened  while  he  rapidly  disposed 
of  the  men. 

Here  was  the  letter  for  Webb.  Paul  would  be 
up  to  the  mill  later  in  the  week. 

This  was  the  new  ditch-rider?  And  the  young 
foreman  extended  his  hand  with  a  winning  cordi- 
ality. All  right  about  the  recommendations.  Wag- 
ner, under  whom  he  would  work  more  directly, 
knew  of  his  experience,  and  that  was  sufficient.  His 
horse  was  ready;  the  stable  boy  would  accompany 
him  and  he,  Paul,  would  overtake  him  at  some  point 
during  the  forenoon. 

Here  was  a  note  for  Luis.  Sheep-dipping  would 
begin  at  once.  He  would  be  at  the  lower  Ranch 
Saturday  night. 

Here  was  the  mail  for  Boulder,  part  of  it.  Wil- 
liam would  return  at  once,  as  Mr.  DeLacy  and  Mr. 
Eldreth  wished  to  catch  the  noon  train  for  Denver. 

Next  the  horse-trainer.  How  was  the  black 
mare's  shoulder?  And  there  would  of  course  be 
Mr.  Eldreth's  Brownie  to  exercise. 

Sam  would  take  Ben  and  Pepito  to  town,  but  not 
until  more  mail  was  ready. 

And   now,   Wagner,   that   alfalfa.     Yes,   in   the 


126  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

sheds,  and  all  the  extra  men  and  horses  must  be 
used,  as  the  clouds  threatened.  In  doubling  for 
the  haul  to  the  baler,  he  would  of  course  put  Hector 
and  Hebe  in  the  lead,  since  they  were  too  light  for 
wheelers.  Three  hours'  earnest  work  should  clean 
up  the  east  field. 

One  after  another  the  men  departed,  and  the  fore- 
man turned  back  to  his  desk.  As  Wagner  reached 
the  door,  Richard  was  entering  and  detained  him 
in  a  whispered  conference.  The  sub-foreman  hesi- 
tated, then  shook  his  head. 

"  Can't  do  it,  Mr.  Richard.  Orders  is  orders. 
Besides,  Hebe  won't  work  on  the  off  side,  and  even 
if  she  would,  the  black  mare's  shoulder's  too  bum  to 
put  in." 

"  But  I  want  Hector,  I  tell  you.  He's  the  only 
decent  one  for  the  cart.  Where  are  all  the  horses, 
anyway?  " 

"  Nothin'  in  from  the  range  fit  f 'r  doublin'," 
hesitated  Wagner. 

;<  You'll  have  to  use  the  sorrels,  then." 

"  O  Lord !  they'd  kill  their  fool  selves.  No,  sir, 
I'm  here  to  do  's  I'm  told.  If  Paul  says  the  sorrels, 
why  the  sorrels  goes;  but  it  '11  mean  slower  work, 
an'  it's  a  run  agin  the  rain  now,  with  all  that  hay 
down,"  edging  toward  the  door. 

"  Well,  I'm  going  to  have  Hector  for  an  hour," 
determinedly. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  127 

Wagner  raised  his  voice.     "  Paul." 

"Yes?" 

"  Excuse  me,  but  Mr.  Richard  wants  Hector  right 
away  an  hour.  How  about  it  ?  " 

Paul  considered,  a  shadow  of  annoyance  touching 
his  brow.  Richard's  face  reddened  angrily;  and 
Wagner  took  advantage  of  the  pause  to  repeat  that 
the  mare's  shoulder  was  pretty  sore  yet;  that  the 
sorrels  were  only  carriage-horses  and  mighty  dog- 
gone flighty,  and  that  the  new  hay-racks  were  too 
much  for  one  team  on  the  up-hill  haul. 

Paul  silenced  him  mid-way  to  say  decisively : 

"  I'm  sorry,  Richard,  but  you'll  have  to  use 
Brownie.  Tell  the  trainer  to  bring  her  up,  Sam,  to 
the  cart." 

Eldreth  ground  an  oath  of  protest  between  his 
teeth.  "  She  won't  stand  without  a  groom — "  he 
began. 

"  You've  not  a  moment  to  waste,  Wagner,"  ob- 
served Paul,  "  I'll  be  with  you  in  less  than  an  hour." 

"  Hector  and  Hebe  in  the  lead,  sir  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  You  try  it,  Jim  Wagner,"  blustered  the  master's 
son,  "and  we'll  see  how  long  you — " 

The  sub-foreman  nodded  to  Paul  and  disappeared. 
Paul  picked  up  his  pen. 

"Damn  it  all!  What  do  you  mean?"  threat- 
ened Richard,  striding-  through  the  gate  and  up  to 
the  foreman's  desk, 


128  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

The  other  lifted  his  strong,  unwavering  gaze  to 
the  flashing  eyes  above  him.  "  That  the  most  ur- 
gent business  of  Eldhurst  must  not  be  delayed  for  a 
mere  whim,  and  that  my  orders  are  not  to  be  ques- 
tioned," he  returned  quietly.. 

Before  the  reply  came,  the  door  swung  and  Nina 
Howard  appeared.  Richard  whirled  upon  her 
fiercely. 

"  What  are  you  doing — here?  " 

She  colored  at  the  tone  and  the  emphasis,  and 
replied  with  a  touch  of  haughtiness":  "  I  came  to  see 
Paul." 

"  Well,  you  can't  see  him.  This  is  the  hired 
man's  busy  day." 

"  Was  there  something  special,  Miss  Howard  ?  " 
asked  Paul  rising. 

"  N  .  .  o,  only  about  the  problem  young  Hansen 
couldn't  solve,  and,"  laughing  embarrassedly,  "  I 
couldn't  solve  it  either,  that  is,  not  by  substitution." 

"  You  come  with  me,"  commanded  her  betrothed, 
turning  toward  the  door,  as  he  took  the  book  from 
her  hand,  "  I've  worked  through  equations,  myself." 

"  I  will  come  to  the  school-room  half  an  hour 
early  this  evening,"  Paul  assured  her,  bending,  pre- 
sumably to  conceal  a  smile;  but  the  smile  faded,  as 
Richard's  parting  remark  came  back  through  the 
door,  something  about  giving  a  low  dirty  Greaser 
so  much  authority  to  abuse. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  129 

With  Richards'  and  Nina's  departure,  the  room 
was  cleared.  For  some  time  the  strokes  of  Paul's 
pen  were  the  only  sounds ;  then  he  sealed  and  tossed 
aside  his  letters,  leaned  back  and  pushed  up  his 
heavy  hair  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 

Lilys  laid  aside  her  paper  and  stood  up. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Busy  Foreman,"  she  laughed,  "  are 
we  ready  at  last  for  the  mallows  and  the  sedges  and 
the  ferns?" 

The  young  man  half  turned  in  his  chair. 

"  I  do  hope  you  have  not  been  waiting  for  me," 
he  murmured,  "  You  have  seen  how  my  time  must 
be  spent  to-day  with  your  father  away/' 

The  girl's  cheeks  flamed. 

"  And  you  have  dared  to  keep  me  waiting  all  this 
time,  along  with  the  hirelings, — ME!  You  knew 
very  well  that  I  expected  you  to  go  up  the  Canon 
to  get  my  specimens." 

"  You  said  nothing  about  my  going  anywhere,  be- 
lieve me,"  he  expostulated  gently.  "  Sam  can  ac- 
company you,  or — " 

"  Sam,  indeed !    I'll  not  go  a  step." 

Pepito  thrust  his  face  in  at  the  door.  "  O.  K.,  ac- 
cording to  orders,"  he  announced. 

Paul  arose.  "  Put  Bonita  back  in  her  stall,  then 
go  help  Ben  get  ready." 

The  door  closed  promptly. 

Paul  rolled  down  the  top  of  his  desk,  tested  the 


130  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

fastening,  then  turned  toward  the  door.  Lilys 
sprang  to  confront  him,  her  eyes  glittering,  the  butt 
of  her  riding-whip  upraised. 

"  Who  told  you  to  order  my  horse  put  away?  " 
she  choked.  "  Who  is  master  of  Eldhurst,  any- 
way?" 

"  I  am — just  now."  The  tone  was  low  and  even, 
but  the  master  spoke  in  attitude,  tone,  eyes.  He 
had  caught  her  uplifted  arm  and  was  holding  her 
gaze  no  less  firmly.  Often  in  their  early  childhood 
she  had  struck  him  in  her  blind  anger,  but  now — he 
was  pale,  and  there  was  a  look  in  his  eyes  she  had 
never  seen  there,  a  look  that  made  her  own  waver 
and  drop,  just  as  her  brother's  had  wavered  and 
dropped. 

Silence  then.  He  had  not  relinquished  his  libld 
upon  her  arm,  but  as  her  hand  sank  nerveless,  his 
grasp  relaxed  and  his  fingers  clung  in  almost  a 
caress.  His  gaze  lingered  sadly  over  the  features 
he  knew  so  well :  the  full  curve  of  throat  and  cheek, 
the  creamy  ivory  of  the  skin,  the  black  fringe  of 
lashes,  the  vivid  lips,  passionately  proud. 

They  were  his  only  farewell,  that  lingering  clasp 
of  her  arm,  that  slow  scanning  of  the  loved  face. 
His  breath  came  with  difficulty;  he  was  striving 
hard  for  self-mastery. 

Pulling  away,  the  girl  measured  him  disdainfully 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  131 

for  one  stinging  instant,  then  left  the  room,  her 
haughty  head  high. 

And  the  busy  young  foreman  took  a  precious  mo- 
ment to  stoop  for  a  long-stemmed  rose  that  lay 
crushed  and  dusty  at  his  feet. 


i32  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"  NONE  SO   BLIND  AS   THOSE   WHO    WILL   NOT   SEE." 

LILYS  locked  herself  in  her  own  room,  went  down 
at  the  window  and,  cheeks  in  palms,  stared  straight 
before  her.  She  saw  Paul  come  out,  mount  Bay- 
onne  and  ride  away  toward  the  haytields.  She 
wondered  in  a  dazed  way  why  she  was  not  with  him, 
as  she  had  intended  being;  wondered  why  she  had 
been  turned  from  her  purpose. 

She  saw  the  carriage  return  from  town  and  re- 
main at  the  hitching  block  for  its  second  trip.  She 
had  not  changed  her  position  when  the  cart  came 
plunging  up  the  hill  from  the  old  quarries  road, 
Brownie's  harness,  every  strap  and  string  of  it, 
lather-lined,  and  Richard  half  standing  in  the  cart, 
sawing  on  her  wide-open  mouth.  They  brought  up 
at  the  block,  the  mare  on  her  haunches  in  a  tangle 
of  trappings  and  fly-net,  so  that  William  had  to  go 
to  the  rescue,  getting  a  sound  cursing  for  his  slow- 
ness. Then  there  were  more  oaths  and  shoutings 
for  Sam  to  come  get  the  blanked  fool  of  a  horse. 

The  girl  at  the  window  was  still  staring  into 
space  when  the  rat-tat-tat  sounded  on  her  door  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  133 

her  brother's  voice  announced  that  he  and  Bertie 
were  off.  She  did  not  answer  nor  turn.  She  saw 
them  go  down  to  the  carriage,  suit-cases  in  hand. 
Both  smiled  up  with  lifted  hats,  and  her  brother 
kissed  his  fingers;  but  she  drew  sulkily  behind  the 
curtain  and  resumed  her  position  only  after  the 
carriage  was  well  past  the  Rectory. 

The  shower  came  and  sighed  and  whispered  cease- 
lessly amid  the  great  trees  about  the  House.  Her 
window  grayed  and  ran  with  rain-pearls,  cleared  and 
grew  bright  again.  The  clouds  and  the  morning 
passed,  and  still  she  sat  with  tumultuous  breast  and 
clenched  hands  and  anger-blind  eyes,  impervious  to 
the  inviting  smile  of  the  now  sunny  sky.  A  red 
bird  tilted  upon  the  vine  outside  her  window,  his 
little  throat  swelling  as  he  spent  his  ecstacy;  but  she 
did  not  hear  him.  The  rain-freshened  breeze 
touched  her  hot  cheeks  suggestingly,  but  she  did 
not  feel  it. 

Paul  rode  in  from  his  work.  He  looked  warm 
and  tired  as  he  swung  down,  but  he  drew  his  horse 
into  the  shade  of  the  big  locust  tree,  loosened  the 
broad  double  cinches  and  eased  the  heavy  Mexican 
saddle  before  he  tossed  his  hat  to  the  ground  and, 
facing  the  slight  wind,  wiped  his  forehead. 

Sam  came  running  from  the  stables,  touching  his 
cap,  and  led  away  the  reluctant  horse,  Bayonne  look- 
ing back  and  "  talking  "  to  his  master  all  the  way  to 
the  barn. 


i34  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Sam  had  not  touched  his  cap  to  Dixie,  nor  had  he 
come  for  Brownie  without  much  profane  shouting. 
One  would  think  that  Uncle  Edwin  was  right,  that 
the  son  of  Manuel  Menendez  was  a  born  gentleman, 
judging  from  the  way  heads  were  bared  and  feet 
came  at  his  beck  and  call;  when  in  reality  he  was 
but  a  hireling,  one  of  her  father's  servants,  like 
Wagner  and  Webb  and  Max. 

Of  course  the  men  obeyed  him,  younger  though 
he  was  than  most  of  them ;  and  it  was  small  wonder 
— that  look  on  his  face  as  he  had  that  morning  de- 
clared himself  master  of  Eldhurst !  She  was  trem- 
bling still  from  anger  over  it.  Yet  with  her  wrath 
there  mingled  something  of  her  father's  satisfac- 
tion of  striking  against  true  metal,  and  that  keener, 
subtler  satisfaction  of  the  strongly  sexed  woman 
dominated  by  a  masterful  man.  Not  that  she  recog- 
nized either  source  of  her  pleasurable  sensations. 
She  was  anything  but  self-analytic.  She  recognized 
her  anger — that  was  all ;  that  was  enough. 

And  in  that  anger,  she  delighted  to  style  him  a 
sort  of  upper  servant,  because  to  her  creed,  fostered 
by  pride,  prejudice  and  education,  there  was  no 
middle  ground  between  the  high  and  low.  There 
were  only  the  two  classes — the  elect  and  the  socially 
damned.  Were  you  of  the  elect?  That  depended 
upon  how  many  generations  you  had  known  your 
forefathers  and  how  many  figures  it  required  to  foot 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  135 

your  bank  balance.  Were  you  a  social  outcast? 
Yes,  if  you  worked  and  were  grimy  and  sweaty  and 
hideous,  and  knew  not  your  fathers,  and  had  to  be 
identified  at  the  bank. 

Thus,  her  classifications  were  simple,  all-inclusive 
and  time-saving.  Just  as  Wagner  was  the  best 
irrigationist,  Swenssen  the  prize  drill-hand,  and  Sam 
the  finest  horseman  on  the  place;  so  Paul,  being 
somewhat  educated,  was  the  most  capable  of  man- 
aging during  the  master's  absence,  and  in  addition 
he  was  perhaps  the  most  entertaining  when  she,  the 
master's  daughter,  was  bored. 

So,  to  the  left  with  them,  all  of  them,  to  the  shady 
left,  where  she  parted  the  luckless  goats  from  the 
heaven-favored  sheep  upon  the  right  hand.  And 
between  the  two  groups  were  social  barriers  as  in- 
exorable as  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  the  Persians, 
a  great  gulf  which  none  of  the  luckless  dared  cross 
— not  one.  Thus  had  her  father  taught  her  by 
precept  and  example;  thus  had  it  been;  thus  should 
it  ever  be.  And  nothing,  no  one,  had  ever  made 
her,  Lilys  Eldreth,  born  to  the  purple,  forget  who 
she  was  and  to  what  station  in  life  it  had  pleased 
God  to  call  her. 

And  yet 

Paul  was  seated  on  a  step  of  the  horse-block  now. 
Against  the  massed  background  of  locust  leaves,  his 
profile  showed  clear-cut  and  fine He  had 


136  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

not  so  much  as  once  looked  up  at  what  he  knew  was 
her  window,  but  sat,  pushing  up  his  heavy  hair  to 
the  cooling  breeze  and  looking  off  toward  the  gar- 
dens to  the  south. 

Ah,  she  could  see  now.  Ruth  Bradley  was  com- 
ing from  the  gardens,  basket  in  hand.  She  was 
far  off  as  yet,  but  running  ahead  of  her  and  quite 
near,  came  a  mite  of  a  girl,  one  of  the  children  of  the 
Swedish  village,  with  yellow  curls  flying  and  small 
round  face  all  aglow  with  anticipation. 

Straight  it  ran  into  Paul's  down-reached  arms, 
lifting  a  berry-stained  mouth  for  his  kiss.  But  the 
young  man  was  holding  her  laughingly  at  arm's 
length,  was  protesting  against  the  berry-stains,  evi- 
dently, for  rising,  he  swung  her  to  the  top  of  the 
horse  block  and  taking  his  own  pocket-handker- 
chief, he  scrubbed  the  tiny  face  till  the  child  winced 
and  squirmed ;  then  he  caught  her  to  his  breast  and 
kissed  her  heartily,  lifting  his  head  to  look  down 
and  talk  to  her,  then  bending  again  to  kiss  the  beam- 
ing face. 

The  girl  at  the  window  had  slipped  to  her  knees 
and  grasping  the  sill  with  both  hands,  was  watching 
the  scene  spellbound.  Only  the  wordless  murmur 
of  his  voice  came  up  to  her,  but  she  strained  forward 
and  abated  her  breath  to  catch  that  murmur  apart 
from  the  prattle  of  the  child.  She  followed  his 
movements  much  as  you  have  seen  one,  wholly  ab- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  137 

sorbed,  unknowingly  imitate  the  motions  of  another 
who  is  eating  some  coveted  delicacy.  When  he 
stooped  and  playfully  burrowed  with  his  lips  into  the 
baby's  plump  neck,  the  girl's  hand,  all  unconsciously, 
moved  to  press  her  own  bare  throat,  and  with  the 
act,  the  blood  crept  up  from  her  heart,  a  warm  un- 
bidden tide  overspreading  face  and  neck  and  throb- 
bing under  her  palm.  When  he  smoothed  back  the 
child's  hair  and  kissed  its  proffered  lips,  the  watcher 
gave  a  quick  half-grasp  and  leaning  with  closed  eyes 
against  the  window-frame,  moistened  her  own  lips 
and  yielded  to  the  strange,  swooning  sensation  that 
possessed  her.  And  she  kept  her  eyes  closed,  her 
indrawn  breath  half  suspended  as  though,  having 
inhaled  some  delicious  but  fleeting  fragrance,  she 
strove  to  retain  it,  and  the  memory  of  it. 

A  giggling  laugh  jarred  her  back  to  the  conscious 
present.  Ruth  had  arrived  at  the  locust  tree,  had 
set  her  basket  of  garden-stuff  in  the  shade  and  was 
holding  one  of  her  largest  strawberries  up  to  Paul's 
lips,  but  just  beyond  reach.  As  she  tip-toed  before 
him,  Ruth  looked  more  than  pretty  in  her  work- 
dress  of  brown  gingham,  her  pink  sunbonnet  down 
her  back,  her  blooming  Irish  face  lifted.  With  one 
hand  she  essayed  to  feed  her  companion ;  the  cup  of 
the  other  hand  was  heaped  with  choice  berries.  He 
put  the  child  down  with  some  plaything  from  his 
pocket,  captured  the  berry-filled  hand,  transferred 


138  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  fruit  to  his  own  and  began  deliberately  to  eat, 
tossing  the  stems  at  the  girl's  pouting,  happy  face. 

Next  Ruth  brought  a  book  from  her  basket  and, 
coming  close  to  his  side,  indicated  a  certain  place  on 
a  certain  page;  whereupon  he  took  a  pencil  and  an 
envelope  from  his  pocket  and  with  the  block  for  a 
desk,  began  figuring,  with  explanatory  pauses,  while 
his  companion  leaned  near,  following  attentively. 

Leaned  near?  Indeed.  More  against  him  than 
upon  the  block ;  and  the  two  bared  heads  were  very 
close  together,  at  least  so  they  appeared,  viewed 
from  a  front,  second-story  window.  School  work  ? 
A  fine  pretext.  And  why  couldn't  she  take  her 
problems  to  the  Rectory?  And  that  book  along 
with  her  in  the  basket.  Evidently,  they  had  an 
understanding  as  to  meeting-places  and  times. 
Three  times  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  Dix's 
word  for  it,  and  now  again !  Pity  they  couldn't  do 
their  courting  somewhere  other  than  at  the  front 
hitching-block  in  plain  view  of  the  horse-trainer  and 
the  half-dozen  stable  boys  coming  and  going.  Bah ! 
they  were  common,  low,  both  of  them;  a  good 
match. 

The  master's  daughter  turned  from  the  window. 
The  room  seemed  stifling.  She  flung  off  her  rid- 
ing stock  and  wrenched  at  her  dress-neck,  panting 

for  breath That  Bradley  girl  ought  to  be 

ashamed  to  loll  against  a  man  that  way.  Uncle 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  139 

said  no  girl  who  thought  anything  of  herself  would 
do  such  things.  Nina  didn't  with  Dix,  and  they 
were  betrothed.  So  much  for  Ruth,  Antonio's 
fiancee. 

As  for  Paul  Menendez — a  fine  foreman  he,  idling 
all  this  time  with  a  Quarry  Town  girl  when  he 
should  be  attending  to  his  master's  affairs.  Very 
busy  he  had  been  when  she,  his  mistress,  had  wished 
a  few  hours  of  his  time  for  her  botany;  his  hours 
were  all  filled  with  alfalfa  and  the  ditches.  But 
Ruth  Bradley — that  was  a  different  story.  O.  .  .  h ! 
and  another  button  of  the  dress-neck  gave  way,  as, 
clutching  at  her  throbbing  throat,  the  girl  walked 
the  room  with  hurried,  but  aimless  feet. 

She  brought  up  before  a  French  mirror  and 
stared  hard  at  the  flushed  reflection.  Well,  what 
difference  did  it  make,  she  asked  the  dark  flashing 
eyes  in  the  glass,  the  servants'  doings  and  thinkings  ? 
What  was  it  to  her,  Lilys  Allan-Eldreth,  the  highest- 
born,  the  most  beautiful,  the  richest  girl  in  Colorado, 
if  not  in  the 

There,  they  were  going  now.  Paul  was  carrying 
the  basket  and  they  had  the  child  between  them, 
each  holding  a  hand,  and  they  were  turning  toward 
each  other,  laughing  and  chatting  familiarly. 

With  the  curtain-folds  gathered  in  her  working 
fingers,  alternately  crushing  and  loosing  them,  she 
gazed  with  burning  eyes  after  the  retreating  figures 


i4o  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

till  they  passed  from  view  under  the  hill.  Then 
suddenly,  from  no  assignable  cause,  Lilys  Eldreth 
bowed  her  head  to  the  window-ledge  and  broke  into 
a  passion  of  weeping. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  141 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"  A    SNAPPFR-UP    OF    UNCONSIDERED    TRIFLES." 

WEDNESDAY  evening  of  the  same  week,  as  Marah 
cleared  away  the  supper  dishes,  she  watched  her  son 
with  musing  attention.  Since  Sunday  he  had  been 
more  silent  even  than  usual;  since  Sunday  he  had 
eaten  scarcely  enough  to  keep  a  child  alive;  since 
Sunday  he  had  almost  lived  in  the  hayfields,  and 
since  Monday  morning  he  had  not  been  nearer  the 
House  than  the  stables  to  get  his  horse. 

Something  was  amiss.  What?  She  did  not  en- 
joy Paul's  confidence.  She  had  always  to  "  go  from 
home  to  hear  news  "  of  his  doings,  of  his  rarely-ex- 
pressed opinions.  She  never  went  to  church,  nor 
to  the  Rectory.  She  had  not  been  to  the  House 
for  more  than  ten  years.  She  was  intimate  with 
but  few  of  the  Swedes  and  Irish  of  Quarry  Town. 
Her  cottage  sat  on  a  hillslope  to  itself,  and  she 
would  have  been  quite  as  isolated,  quite  as  solitary, 
but  for  her  occupation  of  trained  nurse. 

This,  Wednesday,  afternoon,  she  had  been  called 
professionally  to  see  a  child  of  the  Howards'  house- 
keeper, and  at  the  Howards'  she  had  learned  of  the 


I42  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

prospective  conservatory  year  east  for  the  daughter 
of  the  House,  learned  that  it  had  been  decided  upon 
only  since  Sunday. 

Marah  regarded  her  son  speculatively,  a  slight 
smile  twitching  her  thin  lips.  He  had  eaten  less 
than  ever  at  supper  and  now  sat,  neglectful  of  his 
customary  after-supper  smoke,  his  elbow  on  the 
half-cleared  table,  cheek  in  palm,  looking  at  nothing. 
She  had  to  ask  him  twice  if  he  was  through  with 
his  coffee-cup. 

At  that  he  bestirred  himself,  brought  from  his 
own  room  what  looked  like  a  large  scrap-book,  to- 
gether with  a  pot  of  paste  and  some  herbs  rolled  in 
a  paper.  He  turned  back  a  corner  of  the  table- 
cloth, slipped  off  his  coat  with  an  apology  to  his 
mother,  sat  down  before  the  opened  book  and  began 
spreading  on  its  page  a  native  sedge,  separating  the 
delicate  spikes  and  rootlets  with  patient  care. 

Marah  passed  behind  his  chair  on  a  roundabout 
trip  to  the  china-cupboard.  Yes,  the  flower  names 
already  inscribed  on  the  page  were  in  the  loose,  an- 
gular hand  affected  by  the  up-to-date  girl  of  the 
period. 

So  far,  so  good. 

"And  she  is  to  be  gone  a  year?"  was  her  next 
step,  covertly  watching  his  expression. 

"  I  believe  so,"  he  acquiesced,  his  expression  be- 
traying nothing  but  a  deep  absorption  in  a  thin 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  143 

blade  of  the  whip-grass  that  insisted  upon  curling. 

Ah,  but  you  do  not  ask  "  Who?  "  my  son.  She! 
The  mother  smiled  sagely. 

"  The  year  will  lengthen  indefinitely,  I  imagine." 

The  whip-grass  had  consented  to  straighten  and 
was  now  being  coaxed  into  succumbing  to  the  wiles 
of  Sanford's  best. 

"  He  lives  in  Boston,  I  believe,"  was  her  next  at- 
tempt. 

At  last  the  tenacious  Sanford  had  conquered. 
He  turned  the  page  carefully  and  placed  a  heavy 
book  upon  it.  She  made  a  final  effort : 

"  Hilma  told  me — you  couldn't  guess  what !  " 

He  was  deftly  extricating  a  bushy  little  mallow 
from  a  tangle  of  maiden-hair,  but  he  said,  indiffer- 
ently and  with  a  downward  inflection : 

"  I'll  answer  for  it  that  it  isn't  worth  repeating." 

"  Then  truth  isn't  worth  repeating." 

"  Hilma  said  that  Ruth  believed  that  Lena 
thought,"  smiled  the  young  man,  "  Mother,  mother! 
I  did  not  think  it  of  you.  You'll  be  founding  a 
Society  for  the  Promulgation  of  Neighborhood 
News,  next,  and  inesting  in  a  tea-caddy !  " 

Marah  shrugged  her  shoulders,  but  a  determined 
light  glinted  in  her  eyes. 

"  Does  she  love  this  man?  " 

His  eyes  were  not  lifted,  but  the  voice  was  a§ 
controlled  as  the  hands ;  "  I  do  not  know," 


144  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  You  have  seen  them  together  ?  " 

"  Yes,  mother." 

"  Then  what  do  you  think  ?  " 

"  That  she  cares  for  no  man." 

She  passed  on  into  the  kitchen  to  complete  her 
work.  She  was  penetrating  enough  to  know  that 
his  answers  had  been  honest;  and  besides,  he  rarely 
deviated  from  the  truth.  He  might  decline  to  an- 
swer, but  if  he  spoke,  you  might  depend  it  would 
be  truth.  So  he  believed  the  girl  did  not  care  for 
him,  and  perhaps  she  did  not.  But  did  he  care  for 
her? 

She  called  to  him  from  the  kitchen  to  know  his 
plans  for  the  remainder  of  the  week. 

He  detailed  them  briefly. 

So?  The  farthest  hayfields,  the  distant  lumber- 
camp,  the  upper  game-preserve  and  the  Lower 
Ranch — until  Monday  afternoon!  And  again  the 
woman  smiled  meditatively. 

She  returned  to  the  sitting-room,  rolled  down  her 
sleeves,  brought  her  sewing  basket  to  the  lamp,  and 
the  coat  he  had  taken  off. 

As  she  lifted  the  garment,  wrong  end  up,  several 
articles  fell  from  its  several  pockets :  a  small,  worn 
Testament,  a  pipe  and — what?  a  long-stemmed, 
withered  rose. 

His  glance  lifted  from  the  tangled  maiden-hair. 
She  held  up  the  pipe,  and  he  reached  his  hand  for  it 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  145 

with  a  "  Thank  you."  She  held  up  the  little  book 
and  he  indicated  the  table-edge  next  her.  Then  she 
stooped  the  third  time  and  held  up  the  rose  by  the 
end  of  its  stem. 

Well  done,  boy!  Not  the  slightest  change  in 
your  fair,  fine  face.  You  deserve  exemption,  but — 

"  '  Only  a  withered  rose-bud, 
She  wore  it  in  her  hair.'  " 

hummed  the  rich  voice  insinuatingly,  "  Son,  son !  I 
did  not  dream  it  of  you.  You'll  be  founding  a 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Race  Suicide,  next, 
and  investing  in  a  go-cart!  " 

The  young  man  laughed  appreciatively,  though  he 
blushed  like  a  school-girl. 

"Oh  no,  mothei,  when  I  haven't  even  a  sweet- 
heart." 

"  I  know  a  certain  pretty  little  girl  who  might 
contradict  that." 

This  time  he  asked  "Who?"  in  an  honest, 
puzzled  voice. 

Marah  enlightened  him. 

"  Why,  she  is  engaged  to  Antonio." 

"  And  infatuated  with  Paul." 

He  turned  his  eyes  upon  her  through  a  surprised 
silence.  "  I  think  you  are  mistaken,"  he  said  pre- 
sently, ever  so  slight  an  annoyance  in  his  tone. 


146  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  You  mean  to  marry  some  day  ?  Or  will  you 
follow  the  chaste  example  of  the  celibate-parson  ?  " 

"  I  mean  first  of  all  to  get  out  of  debt,  else  the 
afore-mentioned  cart  will  be  no  go,"  he  jested,  ris- 
ing. "  And  out  of  bondage,"  he  might  have  added, 
but  he  never  intentionally  hurt  even  her  who  had 
placed  him  in  bondage.  His  next  words  came  from 
the  depths  of  the  pantry :  "  Where  in — Eldhurst 
do  you  keep  your  irons  ?.  " 

His  mother  waited  till  he  came  back,  an  iron  in 
either  hand,  then  she  carelessly  flung  the  rose  toward 
the  wood-box.  It  fell  short  and  dropped  upon  the 
home-made  rug  before  the  hearth ;  and  she  missed 
the  shudder  her  sacrilege  cost  him,  for  he  was  pass- 
ing behind  her  chair  as  it  fell. 

She  went  about  mending  the  coat,  he  to  finishing 
his  task  to  his  own  satisfaction.  Silence  lay  be- 
tween them.  The  woman  reflected  :  "  Hermosa," 
a  house-rose,  conservatory-grown;  certainly  not 
from  any  of  the  tenantry  cottages,  nor  from  the 
Rectory,  nor  from  Howard's,  neither  of  which  had 
conservatories.  She  had  seen  such  roses  in  Rich- 
ard's buttonhole;  and  Monday  when  she  was  at 
Andersen's,  Hilma  had  boastingly  flaunted  a  bunch 
of  the  same  sort. 

"  Have  you  been  to  Andersen's  lately  ? "  she 
asked,  with  sudden  seeming  irrelevance. 

"  Not  since  Shorty  was  hurt." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  147 

Two  months  ago ;  and  this  rose  was  comparatively 
fresh-cut.  Still,  he  had  betrayed  no  emotion.  She 
glanced  up  at  him  as  he  bent  over  his  work,  and 
watched  the  movements  of  his  finely-trained  muscles. 
He  did  not  break  a  rootlet  nor  a  tendril  of  the 
refractory  ferns  with  which  he  was  laboring,  yet 
when  he  finished,  each  feathery  frond  lay  to  the 
hair's  breadth  in  the  place  designed  for  it,  and  there 
hadn't  been  a  lost  motion  in  so  placing  it.  She 
studied  his  earnest,  absorbed  face,  dwelling  upon  the 
firm  lines  of  mouth  and  chin,  delicate  but  strong. 
Strength  with  repression.  Power  with  control. 
Virility  with  restraint. 

She  fell  into  a  revery.  She  scarcely  heard  him 
when  he  told  her  good-night,  admonishing  her  not 
to  rise  as  early  as  he  did,  that  he  would  see  to  his 
own  breakfast  before  he  went  to  the  hayfield.  She 
scarcely  heard  or  saw.  The  mended  coat  lay  under 
her  idle  hands ;  her  eyes  were  on  the  drooping  "  Her- 
mosa  "  on  the  home-made  rug. 

Repression,  control,  restraint — all  were  graven 
upon  him.  He  managed  the  minutiae  of  daily  af- 
fairs as  he  placed  the  fern-fronds — precisely  and 
with  no  lost  motion.  He  was  self-master  under 
whatsoever  provocations  of  excitement  or  anger. 
But  wait.  He  had  not  yet  loved.  She  knew  his 
heritage — none  knew  it  better.  He  had  by  nature 
and  by  inheritance  a  marvelous  capacity  for  loving, 


148  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

as  marvelous  almost  as  the  power  "  She  "  possessed 
of  provoking  love.  So,  when  once  the  fire  should 
meet  the  touchwood,  what  then  of  curbs  and  checks  ? 
Woman  is  the  supreme  test  of  man.  Would  it  then 
be  power  with  control?  Passion  with  mastery? 
Was  there,  among-  the  earth-born  sons  of  men,  so 
rare  a  combination  ? 

She  sprang  up  impatiently.  "  We'll  see,"  she 
muttered,  "  we'll  see.  Blood  tells." 

Some  time  after  she  had  retired,  had  quit  cough- 
ing and  lay  quiet,  she  heard  his  door  open  softly, 
heard  him  moving  carefully  with  unshod  feet. 
His  forgotten  smoke,  she  thought  sleepily. 

But  when  she  rose  in  the  morning,  his  pipe  lay 
just  where  he  had  placed  it,  the  evening  before,  on 
the  window-ledge.  His  pocket  testament,  even  was 
there  where  she  had  placed  it,  on  the  table-edge. 

But  there  was  nothing  on  the  home-made  rug  be- 
fore the  hearth. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  149 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

IN  LEAGUE. 

THE  week  was  passing.  Lilys  was  viewing  her 
world  through  very  smoky  glasses.  Every  one 
seemed  in  conspiracy  to  drive  her  from  home;  no- 
body cared;  Eldhurst  was  deserted,  except  the  Rec- 
tory. Silently  and  listlessly  she  went  through  the 
fittings  of  her  traveling-dress  and  the  others.  For 
days  her  joyous  laugh  was  unheard.  Her  piano  re- 
mained closed.  She  did  not  leave  the  House,  nor 
her  room  when  she  could  avoid  it. 

For  hours  she  would  sit,  gazing  unseeingly  from 
her  window.  Again  and  again  in  the  midst  of  her 
reading  or  meditation  would  come  without  warning, 
the  realization  that  she  was  going  away;  and  it  al- 
ways came  overwhelmingly,  as  a  new  sorrow  to  her 
hitherto  untouched  heart.  Pride,  rebellion,  anger, 
rankled  in  her  breast.  The  most  divergent  schemes 
suggested  themselves — of  going  to  the  Chautauqua 
near  Boulder,  where  Mr.  Howard  and  Nina  were 
taking  part  in  the  music;  of  joining  Dix  and  DeLacy 
in  Denver ;  of  appeal  to  her  uncle,  of  open  rebellion, 
even  of  flight — where  she  did  not  know.  She  did 


i5o  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

not  ask  herself  why  she  did  not  want  to  go  away, 
whom  it  was  she  did  not  want  to  leave.  She  only 
realized  that  in  going  she  was  leaving  her  girlhood 
behind  her  forever,  that  after  she  returned  it  would 
never  be  quite  the  same.  How  blessings  brighten  as 
they  take  their  flight!  That  girlhood  had  never 
seemed  so  happy,  so  precious,  as  now  when  it  was 
vanishing. 

Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  until  Thursday  even- 
ing, she  had  not  left  the  house.  That  evening  she 
noticed  William,  on  his  way  from  town,  stop  the 
carriage  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  wave  up  toward 
the  lone  cottage  of  the  Menendez'.  That  meant 
that  he  had  mail  for  them. 

When  she  saw  Marah  descending  to  him,  the 
resolve  she  had  formed  and  rejected  a  score  of  times 
in  the  past  three  days  linked  itself  with  an  irresist- 
ible impulse.  It  was  one  of  those  curious  decisions, 
distinctively  feminine,  which  are  born  of  protracted 
vacillation. 

Obedient  to  this  decision,  she  found  herself  walk- 
ing down  the  hill  to  where  William  had  left  Marah 
standing.  She  took  the  Eldhurst  mail  from  the 
woman  and  still  lingered,  though  the  other,  after 
one  searching  look  into  the  girl's  tear-traced  face, 
turned  silently  away. 

"  Marah !  "  cried  Lilys  with  sudden  passion,  "  you 
do  not  care  either.  Nobody  cares.  Papa  and  Dix 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  151 

and  Herbert  and  Nina  are  all  away.  There  isn't 
a  soul  on  this  place  sorry  I  am  going  away." 

The  woman  studied  the  foreign  inscription  of  a 
ring  she  wore,  a  man's  ring  with  a  curious  shield 
design,  and  the  unreadable  expression  did  not  leave 
her  dark,  emotionless  face. 

"  Why  should  I  care?  "  she  asked  harshly,  with- 
out lifting  her  eyes  from  the  ring,  "  What  are 
you,  what  is  any  one  or  anything  to  me?  " 

"  But  you  won't  let  any  one  love  you — " 

"  Love !  "  muttered  her  companion  scornfully, 
"  There  is  no  such  thing  under  heaven ;  it  is  a 
myth,  a  name.  Revenge — that  is  the  sweet  reality. 
If  any  man  tells  you  he  loves  you,  don't  believe  him, 
for  he  will  have  only  his  own  ends  in  view.  Laugh 
at  him,  girl;  scoff  at  him.  Tell  him  Marah  says 
he  lies,  and  that  she  ought  to  know,  whose  very 
name  means  bitterness.  Has  any  man  ever  told 
you  he  loved  you?  " 

Lilys  hung  her  head. 

"  Harry  did  once,  on  our  tally-ho  ride  to  Estes." 

"  Harry  Wentworth,"  sneered  Marah,  "  a  news- 
paper man,  a  poor  society  reporter.  He  has  his  eye 
on  Eldhurst  and  the  income  and  the  family  jewels. 
And  you — what  did  you  answer  him? 

"  Nothing.  I  made  Nina  ride  with  him  coming 
back,  and  I  sat  forward  with  Fred." 

"  And  is  he  in  love  with  you?  " 


152  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Fred  Nolan  ?  No  indeed.  When  I  am  down  in 
Denver,  if  I  don't  go  with  Dix,  I  go  with  Fred,  but 
always  in  a  party.  Papa  does  not  allow  me  to  be 
alone  with  any  of  them  without  a  chaperone;  and 
Uncle  says  it  isn't  at  all  proper  for  young  people 
to  couple  off." 

Marah  smiled.    "  Not  proper  in  Denver." 

"  Nor  anywhere  else,  Manitou  nor  Estes,  nor 
even  here  at  home.  I  am  never  alone  with  any 
young  man  half  an  hour,  even  here.  Helene  will 
tell  you. 

Marah  smiled  again,  a  gradual,  peculiar  smile,  but 
refrained  from  contradiction. 

"  And  this  Herbert  DeLacy?  He  has  asked  your 
father's  consent  to  marry  you.  Did  you  know 
that?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Do  you  love  him  ?  " 

"I  ...  don't  know." 

Her  companion  laughed  a  jarring,  mirthless  laugh. 
"  If  you  did  you  would  not  answer  so.  When 
you  fall  in  love,  you'll  know  it;  it's  in  the  blood. 
Do  you  know  why  this  man  can  not,  dares  not, 
urge  an  early  marriage?  " 

"  I  never  thought." 

"Well,  I'll  tell  you.  He  is  not  yet  legally  free 
from  Mrs.  DeLacy  Number  Three;  the  matter  is 
now  in  court.  To  Mrs.  DeLacy  Number  Two  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  153 

her  child  he  is  paying  a  stiff  alimony.  Mrs.  De- 
Lacy  Number  One  died  of  a  broken  heart, — neglect, 
cruelty  and  abandonment." 

During  this  arraignment  of  the  suitor,  Marah 
had  watched  her  companion's  face  for  some  change. 
But  Lilys  only  shrugged  her  shoulders  indifferently, 
though  it  was  all  news  to  her.  She  knew  the  man 
was  a  widower;  that  was  all  she  had  been  told  by 
discreet  brother  and  anxious  father. 

"  So  you  would  not  care  to  be  Number  Four? 
And  anyway,  who  are  all  these,  the  Wentworths, 
the  Nolans,  the  DeLacys?  The  Honorable  Pierce 
Eldreth's  daughter  must  not  stoop;  she  must  look 
high,  so  high,  when  she  marries." 

"Don't,  please  don't  talk  of  men  and  marrying; 
it  is  positively  sickening.  I  shall  never  marry — 
never !  " 

Marah  mentally  itemized  the  points  of  the  girl's 
voluptuous  beauty  and  smiled  bitterly.  "  Non- 
sense! Men  are  men;  therefore  you'll  marry — 
marry  and  have  half  a  dozen  children  in  as  many 
years." 

Lilys  shuddered.  "  Never!  Why,  I'm  not  even 
in  love  and  don't  want  to  be.  I  want  to  stay  a  girl 
and  ride  and  sing  and  just  have  fun ;  and  Uncle 
says  that's  what  I'm  to  do.  But  oh,"  and  tears 
welled  up  into  the  eyes,  "  I  don't  want  to  go  away." 

"Why  not?"  sharply,  her  piercing  gaze  on  the 
down-drooped  face. 


154  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"I  ...  don't  know." 

Her  companion  turned  impatiently  away  and 
started  up  the  hill.  Lilys  followed. 

"  Don't  go  ...  yet,"  she  faltered.  "  I  wanted 
.  .  I  came  to  ..  I  ...  Where  is  ...  Paul, 
Marah?" 

The  light  of  'an  evil  joy  flashed  in  the  woman's 
eyes,  but  she  turned  aside,  saying  with  well-feigned 
carelessness : 

"  Over  at  Bradley's,  likely.  Shall  I  stop  there 
and  tell  him  you  want  him  ?  " 

The  girl's  cheeks  flamed.     "  Certainly  not." 

"  It's  just  as  well.  He  doesn't  get  much  time 
with  her,  and  he  wouldn't  like  to  leave." 

The  cheeks  deepened  to  an  angry  red,  and  the 
little  foot  stamped.  "  I  think  he  would  come  if  he 
were  ordered  to  come." 

Marah  smiled  broadly,  her  face  turned  safely 
away.  "  Oh,  of  course.  He  is  here  to  obey  orders. 
He  has  fixed  your  herbarium,  if  that's  what  you 
want  of  him;  fussed  a  whole  evening  over  some 
weeds  and  things.  He  told  me  to  give  you  the  book, 

fe 

as  he  would  not  see  you  again." 

All  the  rich  color  died  out  of  the  girlish   face 

and  the  chin  quivered.     She  twisted  the  papers  she 

held  into  a  tight  roll  and  did  not  reply. 

Marah  came  close  to  her  side,  saying  rapidly : 
"  Tomorrow  early,  the  mill ;  the  Eldora  road  till 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  155 

it  turns,  then  the  sledge  cut-off.  Saturday  after- 
noon, the  hunting  lodge,  the  canon  short-cut;  the 
wagon  in  the  morning." 

The  eyes  of  the  two  met  involuntarily,  under- 
standingly,  through  the  gloom, — and  all  in  an  in- 
stant, Lilys's  arms  went  round  the  woman's  neck. 
But  Marah  wrenched  herself  rudely  away  and  al- 
most ran  up  the  hill. 

Once  she  paused  to  watch  the  girl,  lithe  and  grace- 
ful as  a  deer,  springing  up  the  opposite  hill,  to  listen 
to  the  rippling  notes  of  a  mountain  song. 

"  God !  that  boy  must  be  stone  blind,"  she  mut- 
tered, "  or  else  a  coward,  like  his  father.  .... 
They  can't  always  keep  her  a  child.  She's  going 
to  wake  up  one  of  these  days — and  then?  Oh, 
we'll  see,  Pierce  Eldreth,  we'll  see !  "  and  the  chuck- 
ling laugh  merged  into  a  cough  as  she  slowly 
mounted  the  steep  path. 


156  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MISTRESS  AND  MAN. 

Out  from  the  steel  gray  scabbards  of  the  east, 

The  dawn-swords  flashed.     'Mong  sheltering  woods  and  hills, 

The  hunted  shadows  wavered,  stood  at  bay 

An  instant,  then  affrighted  slunk  away. 

The  star  of  morning  paled.     The  breeze  awoke 

And  claimed  the  misty  mantles  of  the  woods  ; 

Then  boldly  drew  their  fleece-veils  from  the  peaks 

That  blushed  to  crimson  'neath  the  sun's  bold  glance. 

Oh  sunrise,  "  daily  miracle  of  God  !  " 

Thy  lavishments  of  gold  and  rubies  fall 

And  spend  themselves  upon  a  drowsing  world, 

And  man  the  loser.     'Twixt  the  dusk  and  dawn, 

The  waking  birds  tell  secrets  ;  wayside  flowers 

Uplift  their  lips,  sweets-laden,  for  the  bees  ; 

And  Night,  his  woodland  tryst  but  half  complete. 

Reluctant  tarries  for  one  last  embrace. 

Earth's  breast  is  bared,  her  inmost  heart  revealed, 

Her  nfij^d  most  tender  and  her  charms  most  strong, 

For  him  who  knows  that  hour  'twixt  dark  and  dawn. 

PAUL  arose  from  his  sleepless  couch  before  the 
stars  had  yet  faded  and,  turning1  his  horse's  head 
toward  the  dark  mountains,  rode  out  into  the  dusk. 

Always  the  mountains  rested  him.     Wearied  or 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  157 

troubled,  his  spirit  found  comfort  in  their  reposeful 
massive  strength.  His  eyes  ranged  familiarly  the 
length  of  the  serrated  purple  chain  that  darkened 
the  west,  knew  every  crag  and  crevice,  every  swell 
and  trough  of  its  stiffened  billows;  its  morning 
lights,  its  evening  shadows ;  its  smiles,  its  frowns. 

And  more  than  one  characteristic  had  this  Son 
of  the  Mountains  unknowingly  drawn  from  that 
noble  pile.  He  had  not  spent  his  life  in  the  shadow 
of  the  Peak  for  naught.  Unconsciously  character 
and  creed  had  been  formed,  as  was  massed  its  ma- 
sonry, rock  upon  unyielding  rock.  Great  Nature 
grants  to  him  who  is  mountain-born  and  mountain- 
reared  not  only  falcon  eye  and  sinews  of  steel  and 
heart  of  flint,  but  fortitude  and  spirit-ruggedness 
and  constancy  that  change  leaves  all  unchanged. 

Paul  had  these  and  more.  For  as  his  eyes  had 
dwelt  upon  those  mountains,  crest  on  towering 
crest,  huge,  limitless,  mysterious,  sublime,  imagina- 
tion had  sprung  to  rarer,  dizzier  heights  than  e'er 
his  swift  and  daring  feet  had  trod.  His  soul  had 
grasped  the  majesty,  the  calm,  the  grandeur  of  the 
mighty  mountain-land,  and  stood  rock-rooted  to 
the  larger  creed  of  Nature.  All  unconsciously 
that  wall  of  granite  ribbed  and  steeled  his  spirit 
round  with  steadfastness  as  with  a  coat  of  mail. 

Despite  a  life  of  toil,  his  heart  was  song-filled  as 
the  mountain  pine  that  murmurs  with  the  music  of 


158  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  wind;  and  up  from  his  deepmost  being,  his 
fancy  would  wheel  as  the  solitary  eagle,  to  breathless 
heights,  even  to  the  utmost  peaks  of  the  mountain 
realm  of  thought.  Dreamer,  nature-lover,  ever  bow- 
ing to  beauty  and  grandeur,  the  poet-boy  had  very 
early  personified,  idealized,  that  majestic  Peak  which 
rose,  a  watchman  in  his  signal  turret,  above  the  ir- 
regular western  wall.  He  would  be  like  that  Peak, 
he  had  more  than  once  told  his  boyish  heart,  as  he 
gazed  upon  its  serene  brow  that  reflected  the  dawn's 
first  smile,  the  twilight's  last  flush,  while  yet  the 
lower  heights  were  dipped  in  night.  He  too  would 
rise  above  the  mists  and  storm-clouds,  though  earth- 
bound,  like  the  Peak.  And  even  his  heart  of  a  man 
had  drawn  strength  and  serenity  from  that  lofty 
pile,  so  silent,  so  changeless. 

But  this  morning,  he  did  not  lift  his  eyes  toward 
his  noble  friend,  barely  discernible  through  the 
gloom,  nor  yet  to  the  Maker  of  the  Hills,  whence 
cometh  all  help.  His  head  was  bowed  as  he  rode 
slowly  through  the  gray  dawn,  and  before  him 
loomed  the  mountains,  huge  and  dark  as  his  own 
sorrow. 

Only  three  more  days,  three  days,  three  days,  kept 
throbbing  through  his  brain,  and  his  heart  sank 
heavily  as  he  forced  it  to  face  the  year  without  her 
near,  and  all  the  years  to  follow,  all  the  future. 

What  a  fool  he  was,  what  an  utter  fool !     Allan 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  159 

had  said  so,  and  he  was  always  right.  As  well  might 
an  ocean-drop  aspire  toward  the  moon;  some  creep- 
ing thing  be  enamoured  of  a  star!  It  was  fitting 
that  he  had  been  halted  like  a  cowardly  deserter  and 
faced  about  to  front  the  fray.  The  past  years  had 
been  one  long  fight  against  his  love.  A  week,  a 
few  days  more  or  less,  should  make  little  difference 
one  way  or  the  other.  Repression  had  become 
second  nature  to  him;  Eldhurst  was  an  excellent 
training-ground  for  the  development  of  self-control. 

Well,  he  had  given  Edwin  Allan  his  hand, 
which  was  a  tacit  "  I  will  try."  Resolve  with  him 
usually  meant  accomplishment.  And  if  it  did  not 
in  this  case,  and  he  smiled  grimly,  he  would  prob- 
ably be  given  considerable  aid  in  finding  and  keeping 
his  place. 

His  place !  The  king  within  him  roused  at  the 
words,  took  up  his  crown  and  sceptre  and  cried  aloud 
that  merit,  ambition,  achievement,  soul-worth — 
these  out-balance  mere  birth  and  blood  and  posi- 
tion, make  up  equality  among  men.  What  differ- 
ence was  there  between  an  Eldreth  and  a  Menen- 
dez?  Why  had  he  not  the  right  of  every  free-born 
man  to  win  the  woman  he  loved?  Even  Antonio 
Garia  and  Gustav  Swensen  exercised  that  privi- 
lege. Ah,  but  Ruth  and  Hilma  loved  their  lovers. 
Lilys  had  found  him  convenient,  useful,  perhaps, 
in  a  sense,  companionable,  that  was  all.  How  like 


160  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  thrust  of  a  cruel  knife  had  been  that  last  scorn- 
ful measuring  glance  of  hers ! 

And  again,  Edwin  Allan,  you  are  right.  "  To 
him  that  overcometh."  Self-mastery — that  is  the 
supreme  test  of  manhood.  Besides,  was  she  not 
wholly  a  child,  though  her  years  full-numbered  his 
own?  But  his  had  been  spun  by  Toil  and  reeled  by 
Care  and  portioned  out  by  Duty.  Hers  had  run 
from  Joy's  swift  spindle,  through  the  fingers  of 
Mirth,  and  Love  had  measured  them.  He  had  well 
epitomized  her  life  when  he  carved  upon  her  sun- 
dial near  the  summer-house:  " Non  numero  horas 
nisi  serenas."  His  life  had  known  scant  boyhood; 
hers  had  been  one  sunny  stretch  of  girlhood,  and 
hers  was  the  slumbering  heart  of  a  child,  a  germ  un- 
quickened,  a  bud  sun-forgotten.  To  him  she  had 
never  been  less  than  the  one  central  object  of  a 
supreme,  if  hopeless,  passion;  to  her  he  had  never 
been  more  than  an  underling,  a  convenience,  at  most 
a  playmate,  and  this  last  only  through  her  own 
condescension.  And  so — 

But  hark!  the  quick  beat  of  horse's  hoofs  and 
a  ripple  of  melody. 

He  had  reached  a  point  where  the  roads  divided, 
the  one  dropping  toward  the  Lower  Ranch,  the  other 
rising  abruptly  toward  the  mountains.  She  was 
coming  swiftly  along  the  ditch-rider's  path  across 
the  irrigation  canal,  which  just  here  his  road  paral- 
leled. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  161 

One  glimpse  he  allowed  himself  of  blooming 
cheeks  and  blowing  hair,  as  she  swung  her  little  hill 
pony  across  the  ditch ;  then  he  drew  his  horse  to  the 
side  of  the  road,  and  sat  with  uncovered  head  and 
downcast  eyes,  waiting  for  her  to  pass. 

But  she  did  not  pass.  With  two  or  three  springs, 
Bonita  landed  her  beside  him. 

"  Buenos  dia-s,  Don  Senor  Menendez,"  she  tanta- 
lized, well  knowing  how  he  disliked  his  father's 
language,  that  he  never  used  a  phrase  of  it  except 
when  compelled  to  interpret,  and  that  he  shifted 
the  burden  of  interpreting  as  much  as  possible  upon 
Pepito.  "  De  que  lado  iremosf  " 

"  Good  morning,  Lilys."  His  sensitive  face  was 
flushing  and  paling  by  turns  as  she  edged  her  pony 
nearer  and  fastened  her  laughing  eyes  upon  him. 

"  De-que-lado-iremosf  "  she  insisted  in  her  slow 
wilful  way. 

"  I  am  going  to  the  lumber-camp." 
"  Your  grammar   is   faulty.     The  context   calls 
for  the  plural  pronoun — first  person,  plural  num- 
ber." 

"  By  the  sledge-path,  a  hard  trip " 

"  And  of  course  I  am  just  learning  to  ride !  " 

"  No  road  half  the  time  and  no  rest " 

"  And  I  am  so  delicate,  an  invalid,  in  fact !  " 
"  And  even  then  can  not  get  back  till  long  after 
night,  with  all  there  is  to  do  up  there." 


162  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  And  I  was  never  out  after  dark  in  all  my  life." 

"  But— 

The  laughter  went  out  of  her  eyes.  "  Is  it  for 
you  to  say  what  I  may  or  may  not  do?"  And 
she  struck  his  horse  sharply  and  urged  her  own  be- 
side him,  mountainward. 

They  rode  forward  in  silence.  The  knolls  leaped 
wave-like  into  hills;  the  hills  rolled  up  into  moun- 
tain-crests. The  spurned  road  rippled  behind  them 
like  a  wind-blown  ribbon,  its  further  end  lost  among 
the  breeze-billowed  wheat  of  the  lowlands.  The 
sun,  rising  to  higher  vantage,  poured  his  gold  upon 
them,  the  snow-kissed  breeze  caught  their  breath 
as  they  sped  against  it.  The  road  plunged  of  a  sud- 
den into  a  canon's  cleft,  and  the  horses  took  a  more 
moderate  gait  for  the  long  climb  before  them. 

The  heart  that  on  a  balmy  morning  feels  the 
warming  sunshine,  hears  the  song  of  birds,  and 
breathes  the  wild  flowers'  fragrance,  senses  all  the 
charms  that  woo  to  openness  and  joy;  the  heart 
that  nurses  bitterness  and  gloom  under  such  influ- 
ences is  scarcely  a  human  heart.  The  sun  will  find 
some  crevice  to  steal  in;  and  bird  will  follow  bird 
through  one  small  loop;  then  balm  of  blossoms  will 
permeate  the  whole,  till  drop  by  drop  the  bitterness 
is  gone. 

Thus  Paul,  highly  sensitive  to  Nature's  influ- 
ences, yielded  his  gloom  before  her  tender  light, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  163 

lifted  his  head  and  smiled.  Nor  was  it  all  Nature. 
Was  there  not  yet  another  day  of  life  for  him? 
And  should  he  not  take  the  gifts  the  gods  gave  him? 
What  matter  that  some  whim  or  mere  ennui  had 
driven  her  to  join  him?  What  matter  that  she  con- 
descended to  him,  the  working  man,  in  his  work- 
man's clothes?  What  matter  if  stubborn  pride  and 
blinding  prejudice  hid  from  her  the  adoration  in 
his  eyes,  the  involuntary  homage  in  his  every  act? 
What  mattered  all  these?  Was  she  not  there  by 
his  side,  under  his  care  and  protection, — dear,  wil- 
ful, beautiful  child! 

He  turned  and  looked  down  at  the  trim  figure 
in  its  close-fitting  riding  habit,  and  his  eyes  grew 
troubled  as  they  took  in  the  details  of  her  brilliant 
emotional  beauty.  How  he  loved  her — every  curve 
of  the  mutinous  face,  every  line  of  the  scornful  lips, 
every  strand  of  the  shining  hair.  How  the  man's 
strong  heart  within  him  yearned  over  her  girlish- 
ness,  her  inconsistencies  and  the  dangers  to  which 
her  own  heedlessness  and  impulsiveness  continually 
exposed  her. 

His  first  glimpse  of  her  as  she  overtook  him  had 
told  him  that  she  was  happy,  so  well  had  he  learned 
to  read  her  moods.  Nor  was  it  any  surprise  to 
find  her  amiable,  though  his  last  glimpse  of  her 
on  Monday  morning  was  recalled  with  a  pang. 
But  he  had  learned  to  allow  for  much,  to  forgive 


164  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

much  though  she  never  explained,  never  apologized. 
And  she  was  happy  this  rare  June  morning.  Like 
the  morning,  she  was  all  smiles  and  song-snatches, 
looking  and  acting  but  fifteen  of  her  twenty  years. 
She  did  not  ask  herself  why  she  was  happy.  She 
was  neither  introspective  nor  analytic.  It  was  quite 
enough  to  feel  that  she  was  happy.  Furthermore, 
she  meant  to  be  happy  for  three  more  days,  and  after 
that — the  deluge!  He  might  be  temporary  master 
of  Eldhurst,  but  she  was  its  permanent  mistress,  and 
she'd  have  his  services  for  the  remainder  of  her 
stay,  or  know  why.  Then  when  she  returned  from 
the  East,  she  would  begin  just  where  she  had  left 
off  with  him  and  have  absolutely  her  own  way.  She 
would  have  an  understanding  with  her  father  once 
for  all  about  this  matter.  Hadn't  he  said  out  in 
the  summer-house  there  in  the  very  beginning  that 
this  one  was  for  her  exclusively,  and  did  she  need 
him  any  the  less  now  ?  For  instance,  there  was  her 
herbarium ;  what  a  relief  it  was  to  have  it  off  her 
mind.  Paul  was  good  to  her,  busy  as  he  was.  She 
had  not  thought  of  it  before,  so  much  of  service 
she  accepted  as  her  natural  right.  But  this  morning 
being  unusually  amiable  and  perhaps  a  bit  repentant 
over  her  recent  treatment  of  the  faithful  fellow, 
she  was  more  gracious  and  condescending  than  he 
had  ever  known  her  to  be.  Whenever  he  lifted  the 
sweeping  boughs  that  she  might  ride  under  without 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  165 

stooping,  she  rewarded  him  with  a  radiant  smile; 
and  she  laughed  and  chatted  and  chaffed  with  him 
almost  as  though  he  were  an  equal. 

She  observed  him  too  with  closer  attention  than 
heretofore — noted  with  how  little  ostentation,  with 
what  unconscious  grace  and  defference  he  performed 
thoughtful  little  services  for  her,  such  as  starting 
her  horse  again  after  the  frequent  breathing-spells, 
guiding  it  in  the  best  trail  that  she  might  have 
both  hands  for  her  flowers,  or  her  hat  when  the 
gusts  came,  or  the  swinging  down  from  his  saddle, 
cowboy-fashion,  to  pluck  the  blossoms  she  indicated. 

He  sat  well  in  his  saddle,  too,  western-wise,  a 
settled,  easy  seat,  not  rising  forward  with  each 
stride  of  the  horse,  English-fashion,  a  fashion 
which  so  irritated  her  when  riding  with  DeLacy. 
And,  yes,  Paul  was  well-mannered  and  good-look- 
ing. Well-dressed,  he  would  be  fine-looking,  doubt- 
less, with  his  vigorous,  well-set  frame,  smooth- 
shaven  face  and  determined  yet  pleasant  lips.  It 
rested  her  just  to  look  at  him.  He  seemed  so 
strong,  so  sure  of  himself  that  you  might  be  sure 
of  him.  And  how  the  sun  spun  threads  of  gold  in 
his  brown  hair  and  what  depths  it  added  to  his 
eyes.  Well-dressed,  he  would  certainly  be  a  hand- 
some fellow.  On  the  whole,  he  was  rather  hard  to 
classify;  it  had  never  occurred  to  her  till  the  talk 
with  her  uncle  last  Sunday.  It  was  a  pity 


i66  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Paul,"  she  said  meditatively,  "  you  should  have 
been  born  rich.  Do  you  know,  Mrs.  Scott-DeLacy 
said  so  that  time  last  summer  when  you  drove  the 
four-horse  tally-ho  up  to  Estes  for  us.  She  said 
you  were  really  something  of  a  gentleman." 

"  Heaven  forbid ! "  cried  the  young  man  fer- 
vently, "  that  is,  if  she  would  class  me  with  her  own 
party.  I  recollect  that  drive,  recollect  the  disgust 
that  possessed  me  over  the  artificiality,  the  soulless 
courtesy,  the  insincerity,  over  the  language  used  to 
conceal  real  meanings.  Are  they  women  or  painted 
figures?  Are  they  men  or  fashionable  automatons? 
What  are  the  standards  of  value,  anyway?  woman- 
liness or  wardrobes?  manliness  or  full  pockets? 
Forgive  me,  but  if  those  Capitol  Hill  patterns  and 
those  English  cads  are  gentlemen,  then  I  am  phari- 
saical  enough  to  thank  God  I  am  not  like  them. 
But  are  they  gentlemen  ?  Measured  by  Mr.  Allan's 
standards,  where  will  they  stand  ?  '  A  gentleman 
is  a  man  who  is  master  of  himself,  who  respects 
himself  and  makes  others  respect  him.  The  essence 
of  gentlemanliness  is  self-rule,  sovereignty  of  soul. 
.  .  The  effort  to  be  self-sufficient,  the  pride  which 
will  accept  no  favor.  Surely  true  nobility  consists  in 
character,  in  personal  merit,  in  moral  distinction, 
in  elevation  of  feeling  and  language,  in  dignity  of 
life,  in  self-respect.'  The  foot-rule  to  measuring 
Mrs.  Scott-DeLacy's  gentleman  is :  '  Tell  me  what 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  167 

you  are  worth,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  you  are/ 
But,  '  Tell  me  what  you  are  and  I  will  tell  you  what 
you  are  worth  ' — so  say  Edwin  Allan  and  his  kind, 
to  whom  the  rank  is  but  the  guiena's  stamp." 

"  Yes,  Uncle  talked  like  that  last  Sunday  before 
you  came,  and  he  was  talking  of  you."  The  tone 
was  meditative,  self-persuasive.  Had  he  been  as 
woman-wise  as  Herbert  DeLacy,  that  tone  might 
have  told  him  much  that  was  going  on  in  her  heart 
and  mind.  But  he  had  studied  only  this  one  girl- 
woman  with  her  ever-varying  moods,  and  he  attri- 
buted her  kindly  tone  to  one  of  the  temperamental 
variations.  So  he  shook  his  head,  his  momentary 
enthusiasm  gone,  and  replied : 

"  But  Mr.  Allan  is  not  the  world.  Your  father 
comes  nearer  representing  it;  and  he  quotes,  not 
Amiel,  but  DeVarigny:  'Seven  or  eight  genera- 
tions are  needed  to  make  a  gentleman.'  So  you  see, 
the  prospects  are  gloomy  for  my  great-grandson; 
and  for  my  father's  son,  the  case  is  quite  without 
hope." 

"  Still  there  must  be  authorities  equally  good — " 

"  So  there  are.  Emerson :  '  How  shall  a  man 
escape  from  his  ancestors,  or  draw  off  from  his  veins 
the  black  drop  which  he  drew  from  his  father's  or 
his  mother's  life?'  And  Holmes:  '  A  boy's  educa- 
tion begins  with  his  grandfather.'  And  Holinshed: 
'  Gentlemen  be  those  whom  their  race  and  blood 


i68  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

do  make  noble  and  known.'  Lastly,  there  is  the 
Law  and  Prophets.  The  Prophet :  '  Our  fathers 
have  sinned  and  are  not,  and  we  have  borne  their 
iniquities.'  The  Law  :  '  That  will  by  no  means  clear 
the  guilty,  visiting  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children  and  upon  the  children's  children  unto 
the  third  and  fourth  generation.' ' 

"  But  Paul,"  she  began  persistently,  "  with  you 


He  snatched  her  bridle-rein,  starting  the  horses 
abruptly,  and  as  they  rounded  the  sharp  turn  ahead, 
he  stopped  as  abruptly  under  the  shadow  of  a 
large  tree. 

It  was  a  gaunt,  unhappy  cottonwood.  There  were 
seven  deep  notches  in  the  trunk,  and  one  dead  limb 
extended  gibbet-like  out  over  the  trail. 

He  sat  his  horse  upright  and  in  grim  silence,  his 
eyes  straight  before  him,  a  bitter  smile  touching  his 
lips.  He  was  experiencing  something  akin  to  exul- 
tation in  thus  calling  her  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
chasm  between  them,  and  forcing  her  to  look  down. 
This  spot  was  his  mental  scourging-post,  often 
sought,  the  torture-place  of  his  soul,  and  he  suffered 
the  rapturous  pain,  the  torment  and  delight  of  the 
flagellant  in  having  her  now  for  the  first  time  there 
beside  him  in  his  proud  humiliation.  This  was  his 
answer  to  her  half-spoken  protest;  it  was  his  object 
lesson  to  her,  rude,  but  unforgettable.  If  she  had 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  169 

even  a  grain  of  respect  for  his  life  lived  out  under 
her  very  eyes,  if  she  found  in  him  an  ounce  of  worth, 
it  must  be  in  the  full  realization  of  his  cursed  in- 
heritance. 

As  the  girl  sat  looking  up  at  him,  she  was  tossed 
by  conflicting  emotions.  She  had  long  known  of 
this  tree  on  the  little-used  short-cut  to  the  mills; 
but  she  had  never  before  come  this  way,  as  it  was 
considered  a  hard  ride  even  for  a  man.  Now  for 
the  first  time  she  saw  the  gaunt,  hideous  object,  more 
the  gibbet  than  the  tree,  and  the  wild  vine  with 
loosened  end  whipping  from  the  extended  limb  com- 
pleted the  likeness. 

Of  the  contending  emotions,  the  sickening  sense 
of  repulsion  was  uppermost,  and  she  sat  shrinking 
away  from  her  companion  as  from  something  in- 
fectious. Then  a  sudden  wave  of  reacting  compas- 
sion caught  her.  All  the  latent  maternal  within 
her  rose.  She  combatted  a  sudden  inclination  to 
pat  and  comfort  and  soothe;  and  understanding  her- 
self so  little,  the  inclination  frightened  her.  But 
she  reached,  laid  her  hand  upon  his  horse's  bridle, 
and,  urging  her  own  pony,  fairly  pulled  him  from 
under  the  tree. 

And  her  act  was  vinegar  to  his  open  heart-wound. 
That  she  should  pity  him ! 

Awed  by  the  sternness  of  his  face,  she  did  not 
speak  for  miles  of  their  onward  way. 


i;o  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

SWEET  DANGER. 

IT  was  one  of  those  days  with  which  June  fore- 
tells August,  when  the  yet  virgin  summer  stands 
with  reluctant  feet  on  the  line  betwixt  her  woman- 
hood and  girlhood  fleet.  Her  breath  is  only  warm; 
her  clouds  are  not  shadows;  her  joy  is  not  yet  rap- 
ture; her  sadness 

••  Is  not  akin  to  pain, 
And  resembles  sorrow  only 
As  the  mist  resembles  rain." 

The  morning  wind  filtered  through  the  pines  and 
aspens  with  a  murmur  as  soft  as  the  kiss  of  a  flute, 
a  melodious  sixth  to  the  clear  soprano  of  the  brook 
that  paralleled  the  trail.  The  faint  moan  of  the 
wood  dove  sounded  far,  while  the  near  and  fear- 
less lark  poured  the  pleasing  monotony  of  his  liquid 
notes,  like  nothing  so  much  as  a  tuneful  declension : 
"Sweet!  sweeter!  sweetest!" 

They  had  left  the  narrow  canon  with  its  ribbon 
of  water  and  ribbon  of  sky,  had  mounted  the  steeps ; 
had  turned  from  the  last  glimpsed  vista  of  the  dis- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  171 

tance-blurred  lowlands  with  their  far  horizon-rim, 
an  unreal  world  aswim  in  molten  yellow  mist.  Be- 
fore them  the  stooping  sky  seemed  transpierced  by 
the  pine-points.  Unsurmounted  heights  sprang 
about  them,  and  always  the  Peak  serene  and  con- 
stant. Suspended  between  two  of  the  southern 
summits,  one  white  cloud-fluff  "  slept  and  its  shadow 
slept." 

As  the  sledge  path  climbed,  it  dwindled  to  a  faint 
trail,  then  to  mere  zigzag  openings  among  cliffs 
and  pines  which  none  but  the  woodman's  eye  could 
trace;  though  they  still  passed  through  occasional 
miniature  grassy  seas  whose  wavelets,  wind-whirled, 
broke  about  their  feet  in  foam-caps  of  tossing  flow- 
ers. 

Nature  in  her  June  mood  must  again  have  glided 
into  the  darker  musings  of  the  man  and  stolen  their 
sharpness  ere  he  was  aware,  but  he  was  presently 
roused  by  other  means. 

For  more  than  an  hour,  driven  by  his  tumultuous 
thoughts,  he  had  pressed  the  horses,  riding  slightly 
in  advance,  holding  aside  the  branches  as  before, 
sometimes  guiding  both  animals,  but  not  once  look- 
ing back  nor  speaking.  In  the  agony  of  his  bit- 
ter musings,  he  would  have  ridden  all  the  way  full 
length  ahead,  but  the  horses,  reared  together,  fed 
from  his  hand,  inmates  of  one  stall,  were  insepar- 
able, and  the  foolish  creatures  insisted  upon  shar- 


172  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

ing  the  trail  where  possible,  crowding  together  and 
leaning  one  against  the  other  during  their  stops  for 
breath.  His  own  Bayonne,  a  fine  throughbred,  full 
of  patient  endurance,  knew  his  master's  mood  and 
bent  to  his  task,  with  infrequent  stops.  Bonita, 
less  enduring,  lagged  half  a  length  with  quivering 
sides  and  cupped  nostrils. 

Rounding  a  sharp  turn  on  the  mountain  side, 
through  the  wilfulness  of  either  Bonita  or  her  rider, 
the  pony  tried  to  gain  his  side  (the  outside  of  the 
trail,  as  it  chanced)  but  slipped,  scrambled,  then 
clung  desperately.  Bayonne  stopped  unbidden  and 
flung  himself  against  the  rock  wall,  while  his  rider 
with  quick  hand  caught  Bonita's  bits,  pulling  her 
head  up  sharply,  and  with  a  strong  grasp  on  the  back 
of  his  companion's  saddle,  steadied  the  pony  strug- 
gling for  equilibrium. 

"  Don't  move.  It's  all  right,"  his  cool  voice 
sounded  reassuringly.  Then  for  the  first  time  he 
turned  and  looked  at  the  girl.  Her  hat  had  slipped 
down  her  back  and  her  face  looked  pale.  She  had 
reached  instinctively  and  grasped  his  saddle-horn 
and  was  leaning  toward  him  in  the  endeavor  to  keep 
the  balance  on  the  cliff  edge. 

With  a  supreme  effort,  as  much  of  will  as  of 
muscle,  he  helped  the  wavering  little  pony  settle  to 
the  safe  side,  and  his  own  horse,  though  flinching 
and  quivering,  pressed  in  still  closer  against  the 
sharp  rocks.  Then  the  group  became  motionless. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  173 

"  It  is  all  right;  only  keep  still,"  he  admonished 
as  he  relinquished  his  hold  of  the  saddle  and  caught 
her  firmly  about  the  waist.  Then  for  one  minute, 
made  sweeter  by  the  danger,  he  thrilled  with  the 
joy  of  the  strong  holding  safe  the  weak,  the  beloved. 
Slowly  he  drew  her  from  the  saddle  and  held  her 
slim,  girl's  body  against  his  body.  Her  arms  went 
round  him,  her  hair  brushed  his  cheek.  Left  to  him 
at  that  instant,  the  choice  might  have  been  death 
together  on  the  rocks  below,  rather  than  life  and 
the  near  separation. 

But  whatever  thoughts  were  rioting  through  his 
brain,  he  was  outwardly  sane,  even  present-minded. 
Shaking  the  pony's  bridle  free,  with  both  arms  he 
lifted  the  girl  clear  of  her  saddle,  holding  her  till 
the  pony,  thus  lightened,  gained  the  surer  footing 
of  the  trail  ahead.  Then  stooping,  he  gently  low- 
ered his  burden  and  swung  down  beside  her. 

For  a  space  of  time  neither  spoke.  She  was  even 
paler,  and  her  lips  were  quivering  as  she  bravely 
strove  for  self-possession.  His  heart  smote  him  for 
the  selfish  absorption  that  had  urged  him  forward 
at  cost  of  her  comfort,  and  he  stood  looking  anx- 
iously down  at  her  as  she  leaned  against  his  horse; 
but  he  could  not  guess  that  it  was  from  neither  fear 
nor  weariness  that  she  was  trembling.  His  voice 
lowered  to  a  sudden  tender  compunction : 

"  I  have  been  such  a  brute.     Forgive  me.     We 


174  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

will  take  it  easier  from  now  on,  no  matter  how  late 
we  are  getting  home.  Wouldn't  you  better  rest 
awhile?  "  as  she  turned  toward  her  pony. 

But  she  shook  her  head  and  insisted  upon  mount- 
ing. She  was  dizzy,  but  not  from  her  recent  danger. 
She  was  conscious  of  this  only :  that  at  the  moment 
of  her  peril,  she  had  been  stung  from  head  to  foot 
and  from  foot  to  head  with  a  wild,  sweet  sensation 
as  unfathomable  as  it  was  unfamiliar,  and  to  ex- 
perience which  she  would  again  have  dared  the 
chasm's  edge. 

When  he  joined  her  and  they  rode  slowly  on,  she 
seemed  abstracted.  By  and  by  she  said,  as  though 
reasoning  aloud  against  this  continued,  causeless 
trembling,  "  No,  I  am  not  tired  and  I  was  not  much 
frightened."  Then  she  straightened  in  her  saddle, 
shook  herself  and  commanded,  with  an  assumption 
of  her  old  imperiousness : 

"  Talk  to  me,  Paul.     Tell  me  something." 

Well  would  he  have  liked  to  tell  her  something. 
For  all  his  outward  appearance  of  quiet  unconcern, 
his  pulses  were  pounding  madly  and  his  heart  itself 
seemed  beating  against  his  sternly-compressed  lips. 

"Something?     What?" 

"  Oh,  anything.     Only  talk." 

He  thought  he  understood. 

"  There  was  once  a  king,"  he  began,  "  who  set 
a  spy  upon  the  hearts  of  his  people.  But  is  it  not 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  175 

a  greater  art  to  spy  upon  the  heart  of  Nature,  to 
try  to  interpret  her  deeper  meanings,  to  follow  her 
plans,  to  surprise  her,  or  better,  to  weary  her  by 
unceasing  vigils  into  revealing  glimpses  of  her  mys- 
teries? .  .  .  See  that  old  oak  on  the  verge  of  the 
caving  bank?  The  crumbling  soil  has  laid  bare  the 
roots,  and  there,  just  below  the  trunk-stock  where 
the  roots  begin  to  delve  for  nourishment,  a  large 
rock,  you  see,  is  imbedded.  From  the  first,  the 
tree  has  accepted  the  inevitable,  at  once  grasping  and 
encircling  its  trouble.  What  can't  be  cured  must  be 
endured,  is  an  unvarying  rule  of  Nature.  So  this 
tree  has  lived  all  these  years  with  a  stone  in  its 
heart." 

Lilys  lifted  meditative  eyes.  That  was  just  like 
Paul.  Who  else  could  look  at  an  old  oak  tree  and  an 
ugly  stone  and  find  such  things  to  say?  But  when 
he  looked  down  at  her  with  his  rare  smile,  his  eyes 
cast  vague  trouble  into  her  heart  and  sent  that  sweet 
pang  shuddering  through  her  again. 

"  But  out  along  the  foothill  road,"  he  went  on, 
"  you  recall  there  is  a  half-buried  boulder,  one  of 
those  lost  rocks  of  which  geologists  tell  us,  a  poor 
exile  of  whose  homesickness  no  one  dreams.  Out 
of  the  cleft  in  the  very  centre  of  the  rock  there  has 
sprung  a  tree,  ever-green  and  bird-haunted.  So  the 
lost  rock  has  lived  all  these  years  with  a  hope  in 
its  heart." 


i;6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

The  girl  listened  and  smiled.  That  sounded  like 
old  times.  How  pleasant  it  was  just  to  ride  along 
and  forget  everything  but  the  trees  and  rocks  and 
birds. 

"  But,"  she  argued,  "  it  is  one  of  your  favorite 
authors  who  says  that  Nature  can  not  be  surprised 
in  undress,  which  means,  I  suppose,  that  there  is 
one  sacred  garment  of  which  she  never  divests  her- 
self. And  yet  by  some,  her  symbols  are  so  much 
more  easily  interpreted  than  by  others.  Or  is  it 
a  case  with  '  the  others  '  of  being  blind  because  they 
will  not  see  ?  " 

"  In  a  measure,  yes ;  and  in  a  larger  measure 
because  most  would-be  Nature-worshipers  attempt 
tc  serve  two  masters.  The  first  commandment  of 
Nature  as  of  Revelation  is  '  Thou  shalt  have  no 
other  gods  before  me.'  To  him  whose  eye  is  single 
to  her  beauties  her  symbols  are  plentiful,  their  mean- 
ings simple.  Truly,  '  the  air  is  full  of  sounds,  the 
sky  of  tokens;  the  ground  is  all  memoranda  and 
signatures;  and  every  object  covered  with  hints 
which  speak  to  the  intelligent.'  But  all  this  is  for 
him  who  holds  communion  with  her  forms,  visible 
and  invisible.  Part  of  the  world  is  too  busy  eating, 
drinking  and  being  merry  to  give  her  a  thought ;  the 
other  part  is  too  busy  toiling  that  the  first  named 
may  eat,  drink  and  be  merry.  Thus  Nature's  shrine 
is  all  but  deserted." 

He  ended  as  they  reached  the  place  he  had  had  in 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  177 

mind  for  their  mid-day  rest,  wh  ve  the  horses  must 
drink  and  graze,  and  where  the>  would  eat  their 
own  luncheon. 

While  they  waited  for  the  horses,  he  rilled  her 
lap  with  mariposas  and  columbines,  then  stretched 
upon  the  ground  near  her  feet,  while  she  rimmed 
her  wide  hat  with  the  blossoms. 

"  Paul,  what  is  the  very  sweetest  thing  in  the 
world  ?  "  she  asked  abruptly. 

"  Alfalfa  honey,"  he  replied  promptly. 

"  Nonsense !  You  know  well  enough  how  I  mean 
it.  Revenge,  your  mother  says;  duty  well  done, 
Uncle  says;  power,  Papa  says;  love,  insist  both 
Mr.  DeLacy  and  Dixie.  What  is  one  to  believe?  " 

Her  companion  shook  his  head,  but  remained 
silent. 

"  Nina  says  it's  love  too,"  she  went  on,  half  mus- 
ingly, "  that  is,  the  right  sort  of  love.  We  were 
all  down  at  Howard's  one  night  last  week  and  I 
had  been  singing  Mr.  DeLacy's  favorite  song,  '  To 
An  Extinct  Volcano.'  It  is  like  this."  And  her 
lark  voice  bubbled  out : 

Thou  wert  wooed  by  the  warring  waters, 

In  the  aeons  long  ago, 
Ere  thou  dreamt  of  rising  heavenward, — 

'Twas  thy  youth-time's  fervid  glow, 
When  the  Sea  for  the  Earth  contended 

With  the  Fire  that  raged  below. 


i;8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Thou  liftest  thy  face  to  heaven, 

Serene,  unmoved,  alone  ; 
For  the  far-off  faithful  Ocean 

No  echo  of  his  moan  ; 
For  the  clamorous  Fiery-hearted 

No  touch  save  coldest  stone. 

Dost  dream  in  thy  storm-swept  calmness 

'Neath  thy  veil  of  spotless  white, 
Of  a  day  when  Ancient  Chaos 

Shalt  loose  the  powers  of  night  ? 
Set  free  the  prisoned  Fire 

Unleash  the  Ocean's  might  ? 

Wilt  sigh  through  the  wreck  and  ruin. 

For  thy  nun's  white  veil  of  snow, 
While  thou  feelest  fierce  caresses, 

As  in  aeons  long  ago, 
When  the  Sea  for  thy  love  contended 

With  the  Fire  that  raged  below  ? 

"  That's  it,  only  of  course  you  miss  the  crashing 
volcanic  chords  of  Mr.  Howard's  accompaniment. 
Mr.  DeLacy  and  Dix  make  me  sing  it  over  and  over, 
though  they  say  I  don't  put  heart  enough  into  it, 
since  it  is  a  love  song." 

Paul  devoted  himself  for  a  moment  to  tossing 
her  the  flowers  that  lay  beyond  her  reach;  then 
he  said  lightly : 

"  More  geology  than  love,  I  should  say ;  quite 
a  lesson  in  physical  geography." 

"  Nina  said  it  wasn't  the  right  sort  of  love,  with 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  179 

its  '  fierce  caresses  '  and  '  wreck  and  ruin/  She  and 
Dix  became  quite  excited  arguing.  She  read  us  a 
sketch  from  a  magazine  to  illustrate  her  kind  of 
love.  I  begged  the  leaf  of  her;  here  it  is,"  and  she 
drew  a  bit  of  paper  from  her  bosom.  "My,  how 
the  two  men  did  hoot  and  scoff  at  the  writer " 
(glancing  at  the  signature)  " '  Allan  Marsden/ 
whoever  he  may  be,  and  at  poor  Nina  too.  Classed 
both  as  '  sissies,'  but  I  think  it's  pretty.  Listen : 

'  Desire,  calling  itself  by  love's  name,  is  a  counter- 
feit to  be  guarded  against  just  as  the  truth-like  lie  is 
the  most  dangerous.  But  it  is  easily  distinguished 
from  love.  For  desire  is  a  self-worshiper,  insatiate, 
clamorous  for  possession,  mad  for  the  merely  tan- 
gible, and  at  close  of  its  brief  delirium  of  the  senses, 
dies  upon  its  own  sword,  gratification.  Love,  though 
sweetly  human,  though  but  a  'wavering  image  '  of 
the  divine,  is  far  more  than  'a  self-sufficient  pleasure 
drenched  with  perfume  and  crowned  with  flowers.' 
True  love  lias  more  of  tenderness  than  of  passion ; 
yearns  to  comfort,  to  bless,  to  protect;  it  is  selfless, 
changeless,  deathless.  Love  is  at  once  the  incentive 
and  the  reward  of  life.  It  is  the  link  between  the 
senses  and  the  soul ;  between  here  and  the  hereafter, 
'  the  soul  embodied,  the  body  ensouled.'  It  affords 
us  our  only  foretaste  of  heaven.  .  .  .  She  smiles 
upon  me,  and  that  instant  holds  an  eternity  of  bliss. 
She  condescends  to  me,  and  in  that  ecstatic  nearness 
I  appreciate  Infinity.  All  Nature  shares  my  happi- 
ness. The  birds  carol  my  love  for  her  ;  the  flowers 
exhale  love's  priceless  incense  ;  the  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  love.  My  sleep  is  love-illumined  ;  my 
toil  is  love  lightened.  Many  waters  can  not  quench 
love,  nor  can  time,  nor  absence,  nor  coldness.  I 


i8o  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

exact  nothing,  hope  for  nothing.  But  I  dream  ;  I 
remember.  I  revel  in  the  intangible,  in  the  past. 
The  warm  wind  on  my  face  is  her  breath  ;  the  deeps 
of  heaven  are  her  smile  ;  the  murmur  of  the  pines 
the  exquisite  vibration  of  her  tones.  At  sight  of 
a  crushed  rose,  at  memory  of  a  chance  touch,  I 
tremble,  I  thrill,  I  exult.  These  are  mine,  love's 
treasures,  of  which  even  death  can  not  despoil  me  ; 
and  they  '  recompense  for  all  the  ills  that  have  been 
or  may  be.'  ' 

She  glanced  at  him  expectantly,  but  he  made  no 
comment.  He  was  lying  with  one  elbow  in  the 
grass,  his  bare  head  resting  on  one  palm,  looking 
off  up  the  mountain-slope  with  eyes  that  reflected 
the  deep  luminous  blue  of  the  sky.  He  looked 
serenity  itself.  She  caught  herself  wondering  what 
were  the  ideas  about  love  of  one  in  his  position  of 
life.  Marah  was  so  bitter,  DeLacy  and  Dix  so 
deadly  earnest  about  the  subject,  she  experienced  a 
curiosity  to  know  what  Paul  might  have  to  say. 

"  Tell  me  a  love  story,  Sefiorito,  a  real  love  story 
— though  perhaps  you  don't  know  any?  " 

His  eyes  were  still  on  the  distant  slope.  She  had 
to  repeat  her  question. 

"  Oh  yes,  I  do,"  he  replied,  handing  her  another 
mariposa,  "  one  of  the  prettiest  imaginable,  and 
I've  been  wanting  to  tell  it  to  you  for  some  time. 
Does  the  Little  Mistress  know  why  the  trees  love 
the  birds?  The  Indians  tell  us  that  when  the  Great 
Spirit  rested  from  the  labor  of  creation  it  was 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  181 

upon  a  peak — not  our  Peak,  for  it  is  too  new. 
From  the  summit  He  could  view  much  of  the  New 
Earth.  He  stooped  and  reached  here  and  there, 
caressing  the  land.  And  lo !  from  each  spot  He  had 
touched,  there  sprang  a  tree,  lithe  and  graceful, 
but  leafless.  Then  the  Great  Spirit  smiled  warmly, 
and  the  leaves,  green  and  clustering,  shot  from  trunk 
to  tip  of  earth's  trees.  The  trees  loved  them;  the 
summer  cradled  them;  but  the  covetous  autumn 
smote  them  yellow  and  scarlet,  loosed  their  hold 
and  drove  them  groundward,  where  they  must  soon 
have  perished.  But  the  Great  Spirit  said :  '  These 
are  too  beautiful  to  die.'  So,  as  they  fluttered  down- 
ward from  the  trees,  He  revived  and  winged  them ; 
and  each  leaf  became  a  bird  that  rose  heavenward 
in  a  rhapsody  of  song.  Behold !  the  red-stained  oak- 
leaf  was  the  robin;  the  golden  willow-leaf,  a  yel- 
low-bird; the  crimson  maple-leaf,  a  cardinal;  the 
homely  brown  elm-leaf,  the  lark,  plain  in  dress  but 
rich  in  melody.  Every  year  the  birds  go  south,  but 
they  return  and  nestle  in  the  trees,  warbling  to  their 
verdant  sister-leaves  who  can  only  whisper  in  re- 
sponse. And  the  mother-trees  sway  and  shiver  in 
wordless  ecstacy  at  each  return  of  their  lost  ones, 
loving  with  a  love  all  unforgotten,  '  yet-  dumbly 
felt  with  thrills  moving  the  lips,  though  fruitless  of 
the  words.'  How  do  you  like  my  love  story?  " 
"  It's  ever  so  pretty,  but  I  meant  a  really  truly 


182  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

one  about  a  hero  and  a  heroine,  a  knight  and  a  lady, 
you  know."  She  wished  he  would  tell  her  Marah's 
story. 

"  I  know  one  of  that  sort,  but  it  isn't  cheerful." 

She  noted  the  quiver  of  his  face.  Was  he  think- 
ing of  his  mother? 

There  fell  a  long  silence.  Her  gaze  wandered 
off  over  the  pine-tops,  and  into  the  fathomless  blue. 
There  came  to  her  the  vague  yearning  she  had  felt 
so  often  of  late,  the  only  feeling  she  had  ever  tried 
to  analyze,  and  the  uselessness  of  the  effort  over- 
whelmed her  now  as  never  before.  A  sigh  escaped 
her,  and  that  was  so  unusual  that  he  sent  her  a 
swift,  searching  look.  She  was  absently  fingering 
the  crown  of  her  hat,  slowly  pulling  out  the  wild 
flowers  she  had  inserted  with  such  care.  Her  eyes 
were  now  bent  on  her  task. 

"  Paul,"  she  began  hesitatingly,  "  I  want  some- 
thing." 

He  sat  up,  but  she  stopped  him  with  a  gesture. 

"  No,  you  can't  get  it  for  me ;  no  one  can,  because 
I  don't  know  just  what  it  is,"  with  a  sorry  little 
laugh,  "  I  want  it  very  much,  but " 

'  Yes  ?  "  There  was  encouragement  in  the  inflec- 
tion. She  had  always  been  confidential,  he  sympa- 
thetic. 

She  struggled  for  expression,  at  great  loss  for 
words : 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  183 

"  I  am  fairly  sick  for  it.  I  can  not  see  it ;  it  is 
a  great  distance  from  me  and  try  as  I  may,  I  can 
get  no  nearer.  Nor  will  it  come  to  me.  It  is 
very  beautiful,  very  satisfying.  It  sings  to  me,  like 
the  birds  of  your  legend;  it  sings  day  and  night, 
while  I  can  only  whisper  responses,  like  your  leaves. 
Sometimes  I  think  it  is  Nature,  and  I  pray  to  her. 
But  she — it — moves  from  me.  Sometimes  I  think 
it  is  my  mother,  and  I  go  to  her  grave  there  by  the 
church  and  beg  her  to  come  to  me.  I  close  my  eyes ; 
I  hold  my  breath.  I  want  her  to  hold  me  close ;  but 
I  can  not  even  throw  myself  at  her  feet.  Then  I 
know  it  is  neither  Nature  nor  my  mother;  for  it  is 
lovelier  than — than  this  day  or  this  spot  or  even 
than  my  mother.  Sometimes,"  her  pauses  were 
growing  in  frequency  and  in  length,  "  sometimes  it 
seems  close.  I  mean  it  seems  all  around  me .  .  .  like 
a  cloud  or  mist.  But  I  want  it  near.  I  want  to 
rest  in  it  ...  to  be,  well,  satisfied,  you  know;  not 
looking  and  listening  all  the  time  for  something  that 
never  comes.  It  is  something  I  seem  to  have  wanted 
all  my  life,  but  just  lately  I've  wanted  it  more  than 

ever It  is  making  me  sad.     I  don't  know 

what's  the  matter  with  me.  It's  the  summer-,  Dix 
says,  and  the  sun  and  the  south  wind.  Sometimes 
I  cry,  when  there's  nothing  at  all  to  cry  about," 
with  the  little  laugh  again  that  was  half  a  sob,  "  ex- 
cept that  .  .  .  that  I  want  it,  you  know." 


1 84  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Yes,  he  knew.  For  one  eternal  minute  he  strove 
against  temptation,  the  temptation  there  within 
arm's  length  of  him,  the  eyes  wistful,  the  lips  tremb- 
ling, the  voice  appealing  to  him  for  something  which 
he  could  get  for  her;  something  not  a  great  distance 
from  her;  something  greater  than  Nature,  more 
beautiful  even  than  motherhood;  something  in  which 
her  wakening  heart  could  rest  and  be  satisfied. 

As  he  lay  back  again  with  his  elbow  in  the  grass, 
only  a  trifle  nearer  her,  she  could  not  dream  that 
he  was  righting  down  the  desperate  desire  to  take 
her  to  his  breast  and  put  his  life  and  soul  into  one 
kiss.  She  could  not  dream  it,  for  he  began  handing 
back  the  wild  flowers  to  her  and  his  voice  was  ad- 
mirably controlled : 

"  Have  you  told  your  uncle  or  your — ?  " 

"  I  tried  to,  but  he  did  not  understand.  He  said 
it  was  sinful  to  want  when  I  have  so  much;  that  I 
should  enumerate  my  blessings,  or  pray  when  I  feel 
so.  Then  I  tried  to  tell  Dixie,  and  he  told  me  to 
go  let  the  doctor  see  my  tongue.  I  thought  you 
might — ':  She  looked  up  appealingly. 

"  I  think  I  do  understand ;  but  it  is  one  thing  to 
understand,  quite  another  to — 

"  Now  I  don't  want  to  hear  you  enumerate  my 
blessings,"  she  cried  petulantly,  "  I  won't  listen.  I 
know  them.  I  can  name  them  myself.  But  I 
haven't  all.  There  is  something—"  she  stopped  and 
tried  for  a  word,  "  something  more." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  185 

His  eyes  looked  tenderly  at  the  troubled,  wilful 
face.  "  Yes,"  he  said  gently,  "  it  is — "  He  broke 
off  and  began  again.  "  I  have  no  sister,  you  know, 
and  deal  so  little  with  women."  He  was  feeling 
his  way,  was  testing  his  ground,  if  it  would  bear 
weight  and  not  precipitate  him  into  the  thin-crusted 
crater.  "A  girl's  heart  (and  you  are  a  girl  yet) 
is  a  delicate,  a  lovely  thing, — half  human,  half  di- 
vine, it  has  always  seemed  to  me, — whose  deeper 
feelings  and  woman's  impulses,  her  yearnings  to- 
ward the  Infinite  and  the  finite  too,  are  all  coiled 
like  petals  close-sheathed  within  its  fragrant  self. 
Or 

1  Like  a  young  bird  when  left  by  its  mother  its  earliest 
pinions  to  try. 

Round  the  nest  it  still  lingers  and  hovers  ere  its  trem- 
bling wings  can  fly.' 

If  the  bud  could  feel,  if  the  bird  could  think,  those 
feelings  and  thoughts,  I  imagine,  would  be  some- 
thing like  what  you  have  just  told  me :  an  impatience 
for  blossoming,  a  longing  for  plumed  flight.  Al- 
ready those  close-rolled  petals  yearn  for  the  sun, 
though  they  have  never  seen  him,  though  he  seems 
far  and  vague.  Already  the  fledgling  feels  '  pre- 
monitions sweet  of  wings/  though  the  blue  of  high 
heaven  seems  unattainable.  Yet  why  be  restless? 
why  sad?  In  good  time  the  last  and  inmost  petal 
will  lie  trembling  beneath  the  sun's  kiss,  all  destiny 


186  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

fulfilled.  In  good  time  the  little  wings  will  stretch 
with  new-found  power,  all  yearnings  satisfied.  And 
some  day,  in  God's  own  time  .  .  .  ." 

His  voice,  grown  tremulous  with  feeling,  wavered 
and  fell,  but  neither  noticed  that  he  left  an  unfinished 
sentence.  For  she  was  gathering,  not  so  much  the 
spoken  words,  as  their  import.  She  was  leaning 
toward  him,  as  though  irresistibly  impelled,  her 
task  forgotten,  her  eyes  on  his  face.  His  tones 
seemed  melting  music.  It  was  as  though  her  soul, 
long  exiled,  heard  again  its  own  language  in  native 
purity.  She  felt  the  subduing  contact  of  a  larger, 
truer  nature  than  her  own;  felt  her  doubts  melt 
down  to  faith,  felt  strengthened  to  rise  into  the 
patience  of  waiting,  though  not  knowing  why  she 
waited,  nor  for  what. 

He  did  not  lift  his  eyes,  but  his  face  had  taken 
on  a  brooding  tenderness  that  transfigured  it  like 
a  dream-smile.  A  wave  of  answering  tenderness 
swept  her,  culminating  in  a  sudden  almost  uncon- 
trollable impulse  to  reach  and  lift  and  caress  the 
lock  of  heavy  hair  falling  over  his  forehead. 

In  her  confusion  and  bewilderment,  she  dropped 
her  hand,  which  had  half  obeyed  her  impulse,  to  a 
long-stemmed  columbine  lying  between  them.  He 
was  reaching  for  the  same  stem;  so,  without  pre- 
meditation, his  hand  closed  over  hers,  hers  over  the 
flower. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  187 

She  sprang  to  her  feet,  tingling  through  and 
through,  her  color  surging  in  a  sudden  flood.  He 
came  to  his  feet  more  slowly,  murmuring  an  apol- 
ogy; then  stood  as  one  who  expects  a  blow  in  the 
face.  But  instead  of  the  stinging  rebuke,  she  stam- 
mered something  about  being  ready  to  go,  and  he 
turned  sharply  away  to  the  horses. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

DARKNESS   DEEPENS. 

IN  their  saddles  once  more,  they  avoided 
each  other's  eyes  and  kept  the  horses  as  far  apart  as 
the  narrowing  trail  would  permit.  He  talked  hur- 
riedly, eagerly,  clinging  to  the  hand  of  Nature,  so 
to  say.  He  told  her  why  the  willow-branches  weep, 
how  the  chipmunk  got  his  stripes  and  the  legend 
of  the  colored  sandstone.  The  quaint  idea  in  the 
last  of  a  dust-crumbled  rainbow  won  a  faint  smile 
to  the  girl's  troubled  face.  He  talked  on,  of  church 
and  mission  school,  outlining  the  plan  of  the  work; 
of  her  summer-house  and  the  new  rambler  roses  he 
meant  to  plant  round  it  in  the  fall;  and  he  told  her 
of  Bradley's  valuable  mine  up  at  Ward,  but  did 
not  mention  his  own  half-interest  in  it. 

Closing  an  account  of  his  last  descent  into  the 
mine,  he  said : 


1 88  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

'  You  see,  ages  ago,  these  rocks  cooling,  shrank, 
leaving  cracks.  Nature,  being  economical,  at  once 
set  about  '  mending.'  She  draws  from  the  rock  its 
very  strongest  material,  and  soon  distinct  crystals 
appear  zig-zag,  like  veritable  threads,  cross-stitch 
fashion.  So  securely  is  this  mending  done  that 
when  a  sudden  change  of  temperature  occurs,  with 
the  consequent  shrinkage,  the  rock  gives  way  any- 
where else  than  at  the  cross-stitched  vein.  .  .  I  won- 
der is  Mother  Nature  as  kind  to  temptation-rent 
souls,  cross-stitching  with  the  soul's  strongest  ma- 
terial, and  so  making  at  last  the  weak  spot  the  most 
invulnerable?  .  .  .  You  give  that  up,  don't  you, 
Little  Mistress?  " 

"  I  should  say  so.  There's  more  geology  than 
love  about  that — like  my  song." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  about  that,"  he  replied  quickly. 


By  mid-afternoon  they  reached  the  mill  with  its 
grumbling  saws,  its  whispering,  whirling  wheels, 
its  pyramids  of  rough  lumber,  its  mounds  of  golden 
saw-dust.  Men  and  teams  were  busy,  and  the  re- 
sounding blows  of  many  a  sturdy  axe  could  be  heard 
deep  in  the  pines  around,  as  the  two  rode  into  camp. 

Webb,  the  tall,  cadaverous  foreman,  came  to  meet 
them,  pulling  off  his  cap.  Lilys  rested  in  his  shanty 
home  with  Mrs.  Webb  and  the  little  Webbs,  while 
Paul  accompanied  the  superintendent  over  the  entire 
camp. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  189 

Now  and  again,  as  the  two  passed  within  her 
range  of  vision,  she  could  see  Paul  stop  to  shake 
hands  with  one  and  another  of  the  mill-hands,  pass- 
ing in  and  out  among  the  workmen  and  their  work 
with  the  rapid  and  spontaneous  sympathy  which 
characterizes  the  natural  manager  of  men.  Again 
he  would  stop  to  caress  or  lift  to  his  broad  shoulder 
some  one  of  the  little  camp  children  who  followed 
them,  or  even  to  lay  a  kindly  hand  upon  the  pant- 
ing side  of  a  great  draft-horse. 

He  must  have  taken  supper  with  the  men  at  their 
quarters,  for  neither  he  nor  Webb  answered  the 
summons  of  Mrs.  Webb  for  the  lunch  which  she 
spread  for  the  Little  Mistress  in  anticipation  of  the 
long  homeward  ride. 

When  the  books  and  the  pay-roll  had  been 
checked,  the  two  mounted  and  turned  homeward. 
The  foreman,  still  talking,  walked  along  beside 
Paul's  horse,  his  hand  on  its  mane.  At  the  turn  of 
the  road  where  they  parted  from  him,  Paul  recapitu- 
lated : 

"  As  I  said,  Webb,  Mr.  Eldreth  realizes  how  short 
of  men  you  are,  yet  this  can  stand  as  no  reason 
why  the  output  of  the  mills  should  vary  so  from  one 
month  to  another.  Given  a  certain  number  of  men 
and  certain  power,  and  allowing  for  breakdowns 
and  accidents,  the  monthly  supply  should  be  more 
uniform.  As  to  the  condition  of  the  roads,  I  men- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


tioned  that  to  him  after  your  last  letter  came,  and 
he  allows  for  it.  By  the  way,  there  at  the  lone 
pine,  where  the  haulers  cross  the  stream,  and  where 
they  have  been  unloading  part  or  doubling-  —  all  this 
can  be  avoided  by  making  a  detour  to  the  left  and 
fording  further  down  where  the  banks  are  some- 
what less  abrupt.  There  is  almost  a  natural  ford 
marked  by  a  tree  on  the  right  bank,  a  tree  with  a 
large  stone  embedded  in  its  exposed  roots.  I  noticed 
carefully  every  foot  of  the  ground  as  we  came  up. 
Call  the  teamsters'  attention  to  the  matter.  And 
Webb,  when  Ingham  organizes  up  here,  as  I  pre- 
sume he  will,  you  intend  joining  the  union  yourself, 
do  you  ?  " 

"I  think  so.  Sha'n't  you?  You'd  better  come. 
You  belong  to  us,  even  though  you  are  over  us  and 
in  a  sense  represent  the  other  side  of  the  question." 

"  We  are  all  laboring  men,  for  that  matter,  born 
with  our  sleeves  rolled  up.  Yes,  I  shall  join  at 
the  quarries,  if  they  will  take  me  even  on  probation, 
Methodist  fashion.  How's  the  school?  " 

"  First  class.  My  kids  just  tickled  to  death.  That 
Baxters  a  big-hearted  fellow,  if  he  has  got  religion 
bad.  I  don't  go  much  on  psalm-singing,  and  the 
boys  don't,  but  when  it  comes  to  reading,  writing 
and  figuring,  we  all  need  them.  Then  the  reading- 
room  —  they're  all  taking  to  that,  I  tell  you.  And 
we  don't  forget,  sir,  that  but  for  you,  we'd  ha'  been 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  191 

forgotten  in  these  lines  'way  up  here  in  the  woods." 
"  I  think  they  were  Mr.  Allan's  ideas  rather  than 
mine.     Well,  good-bye.     If  I  can't  come  up  next 
week,  I'll  see  if  I  can  spare  you  a  few  more  hands." 

"  Paul,  where  did  you  learn  so  much  ?  "  queried 
Lilys  as  they  galloped  easily  down  the  wood-road, 
"  lumbering,  quarrying,  irrigation,  sociology, 
poetry,  legends." 

"  My,  my !  "  he  laughed, 

'  And  still  the  wonder  grew 
That  one  small  head  could  carry  all  he  knew  ! ' 

Born  in  a  hut,  bred  on  a  horse,  as  I've  heard  your 
brother  put  it.  If  I  have  some  fragments  of  knowl- 
edge, I  owe  them  to  Edwin  Allan,  and  indeed  much 
more  than  I  can  ever  repay ;  for  it  was  his  hand  that 
guided  my  stumbling  steps  to  Nature's  feet  and 
taught  me  to  find  God's  wonders  in  her  face.  If  we 
grow  like  the  men  we  hero-worship,  then  if  I  live 
long  enough,  I  ought  to  grow  into  a  pretty  decent 
fellow,  don't  you  think  ?  " 

"  I  only  wish  I  were  half  so  good  as  you  right 
now,"  said  the  girl  impulsively. 

He  shook  his  head,  laughing.  "  I  refuse  to 
wear  a  halo  before  my  time,  even  for  you."  Then 
gravely,  "  Good  ?  Ah,  my  dear  Little  Mistress, 
you  do  not  know  me.  But  that  is  Garia  with  the 
load  off  there.  If  you  will  excuse  me  I'll  speak  to 


192  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

him  a  moment.  I'll  not  be  long,  for  it  is  late.  Poor 
fellow !  he  will  be  disappointed  over  not  being  trans- 
ferred to  the  quarries." 

Dismounting,  he  gave  her  his  bridle-rein  and 
stopping  Garia  trudging  along  beside  his  heavy  load, 
began  talking  to  him  in  tones  she  could  not  dis- 
tinguish. But  she  could  tell  from  the  Mexican's 
excited  gestures  that  he  was  angry,  and  that  Paul's 
reasoning  was  of  little  effect. 

After  a  while  Paul  turned  to  the  wragon  and  be- 
gan pointing  out  certain  poles  of  the  load,  and  she 
heard  the  words  "  worthless  "  and  "  waste  of  time  " 
and  "  in  spite  of  orders."  The  half-breed  pulled 
sullenly  at  the  rope-knot  which  bound  the  center  of 
the  load  and  blindly  jerked  at  a  long  and  very 
crooked  pole.  As  he  recklessly  brought  the  heavy 
butt  to  the  ground  at  his  feet,  the  lighter  end,  re- 
bounding, struck  Paul  full  in  the  breast  and  he 
sank  to  the  ground. 

Lilys  reached  him  before  the  Mexican. 

"  Antonio !  you  have  killed  him !  " 

The  man  knelt,  trembling,  beside  her,  his  swarthy 
face  ashen,  his  heart  quaking. 

"  Eso  no  puede  serf  "  he  whispered  shakily,  bend- 
ing over  the  prostrate  form. 

But  Paul  sat  up,  stood  up  and  motioned  him  back, 
steadying  himself  with  one  hand  against  a  tree. 
For  a  moment  he  remained  silent,  one  hand  pressed 
over  his  eyes.  Then  he  said  in  a  low,  husky  voice : 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  193 

"  Go  back  to  your  load.  Take  out  those  poles, 
as  I  told  you  and  drive  on  to  camp.  Let  me  see  you 
do  it.  Some  day  you  may  learn  to  distinguish  your 
friends  from  your  enemies." 

He  stood  while  Antonio,  cowed  and  silent,  sorted 
his  load,  tied  the  stay-ropes  and  started  his  team. 
When  the  wagon  was  lost  among  the  trees,  Paul 
sat  down  on  the  nearest  log,  and  resting  his  head 
in  his  hands  set  his  teeth  against  the  pain  of  the 
blow. 

As  he  bowed  thus,  striving  for  breath,  he  heard 
his  name,  the  one  staccato  syllable,  and  the  tone 
made  him  lift  his  head,  so  much  was  there  in  it  of 
commingled  inquiry,  fear,  solicitude.  He  saw  a 
white- faced  girl,  with  tightly-knit  fingers  and  quiv- 
ering lips. 

"  Paul !  "  she  repeated,  laying  a  hand  on  his  arm. 

He  got  to  his  feet,  trembling  more  violently  un- 
der that  light  touch  than  under  the  previous  blow. 
The  pain  was  forgotten,  the  place,  the  lateness  of 
the  hour,  almost  the  gulf  between  them,  as  he  stood 
looking  down  into  her  eyes,  his  blood  leaping 
rapturously.  For  one  heart-shaking  instant  his 
soul  rose  in  an  agony  of  mad  hope.  There  was  in 
her  eyes  more  than  in  her  tone.  The  terror  in  them 
had  died,  and  as  he  stood  up,  there  shone  the  light 
of  relief  and — was  it  more  than  relief? 

But  he  tore  his  gaze  away  and  shaking  off  that 


194  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

delicious  touch  said,  with  what  calmness  he  could 
command : 

"  I  am  sorry  it  frightened  you.  You  are  very 
kind;  but  it  is  nothing.  The  blow  was  on  the 
shoulder  rather  than  on  the  chest.  But  we  must  go, 
for  we  have  a  long  road  and  a  poor  moon."  Then 
forcing  a  smile,  "  Bred  in  the  saddle,  I  feel  more 
at  ease  there  than  on  the  ground." 

Lilys  turned  coldly  away,  let  him  put  her  on  her 
pony,  and  they  rode  in  silence  the  rapidly  descending 
path. 

That  look  in  his  eyes!  How  dared  he?  Was 
he  forgetting  that  she  was  mistress,  he  the  man? 
.  .  .  .  Oh,  such  a  blow  as  that.  Why,  he 
must  be  hurt.  Everything  had  gone  awry  since 
Sunday.  What  a  miserable  week  it  had  been. 
.  .  His  eyes — what  had  they  said?  And 
as  he  had  lifted  her  to  the  saddle,  the  same  sensa- 
tion, exhilerating,  exquisite,  unknown  to  her  till  to- 
day. It  was  inexplicable.  He  had  put  her  on  her 
horse  many,  many  times,  but  never  just  as  he  had 
this  time.  She  could  still  feel  the  firm  pressure  of 
his  hands  about  her.  A  certain  vague  shyness  came 
over  her.  She  would  not  again  meet  his  seeking 
eyes,  and  she  leaned  away  whenever  the  narrow  path 
crushed  the  horses  against  one  another.  She  found 
herself  each  time  dreading,  yet  anticipating,  this 
brief  enforced  contact.  She  shuddered  in  her 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  195 

saddle  and  thought  of  the  long  ride  before  them 
with  something  between  terror  and  delight.  When 
he  unstrapped  her  extra  wrap  and  put  it  round 
her,  she  vaguely  realized  that  it  was  not  from  cold 
she  was  shivering;  and  she  felt  unaccountably  glad 
that  the  swift-descending  darkness  made  it  im- 
possible for  him  to  see  her  face. 


196  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

BEFORE  DAWN. 

ELDRETH  hunting  lodge  stood  at  the  head  of  a 
box  of  a  canon  which  was  a  mere  crevice  in  the 
near  mountain-side.  The  lodge  was  built  of  log, 
was  large  and  roomy  and  well  appointed.  It  stood 
in  a  small  park-like  clearing  where  the  canon 
divided  into  two  narrower  chasms,  which  in  turn 
lead  up  to  little  wooded  parks  rich  in  small  game. 
The  stream  which  ran  noisily  past  the  lodge  was 
well  stocked  with  several  varieties  of  trout. 

When  Paul  reached  the  lodge  on  Saturday  it  was 
past  noon.  The  doors  were  open,  though  the  old 
keeper  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  The  provision 
wagon  had  come  and  gone.  He  could  see  the  fresh 
double  tracks  on  the  little-used  mountain  road. 

When  he  entered  the  sitting-room,  a  lunch  was 
set  for  one,  a  small  table  having  been  drawn  close 
to  the  big  fireplace  in  which  burned  a  bright  pinon 
fire.  He  was  grateful  for  Davis's  thoughtfulness, 
for  he  was  hungry  after  his  tramp  up  from  Eld- 
hurst  and  through  the  canon,  a  short-cut  he  had 
taken  on  foot  in  preference  to  riding  the  tortuous 
trail  round  the  spur  of  the  mountain. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  197 

After  lunching  and  looking  carefully  through 
every  room  of  the  lodge,  he  stepped  out  and  glanced 
about  the  clearing.  The  air  of  the  high-walled 
canon  was  still  and  oppressive.  He  walked  slowly, 
following  the  sound  of  an  axe. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  most  trying  week  of  all 
his  life.  This  very  night  yet,  he  would  go  to  the 
Lower  Ranch  out  of  hearing  of  the  whistle,  out  of 
sight  of  the  smoke  of  that  out-going  train  Monday 
He  felt  that  he  had  reached  the  limit  of  endurance, 
the  last  faint  boundary  between  restraint  and  indul- 
gence, the  crumbling  verge  of  all  control. 

How  beautiful  she  was!  what  eyes,  what  a  voice, 
what  a  Cupid's  bow  of  a  mouth.  The  lines  went 
gliding  through  his  mind : 

"  A  man  had  given  all  other  bliss, 
And  all  his  worldly  worth  for  this, 
To  waste  his  whole  heart  in  one  kiss 
Upon  her  perfect  lips." 

She  had  been  unusually  quiet  during  the  ride 
home  last  night,  unaccountably  so  to  him  who  knew 
her  so  well.  But  not  being  able  to  see  her  face  and 
thus  to  read  her  mood,  he  too  had  kept  discretely 
silent.  Perhaps  she  had  been  tired,  perhaps  a  bit 
sad  at  thought  of  leaving  home.  And  he  wondered 
was  there  one  regretful  thought  for  their  happy 
childhood,  now  passed  ? 


198  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

They  had  not  reached  Eldhurst  until  very  late. 
He  had  chosen  not  to  return  by  the  sledge  path 
which  would  have  been  hazardous  after  dark;  and 
the  public  road  was  many  miles  longer  than  the 
short-cut.  The  lights  were  out  at  the  House  when 
they  stopped  at  the  block.  Was  it  a  fancy  that 
she  had  clung  to  him  ever  so  slightly  as  he  lifted 
her  from  the  saddle?  Even  yet  he  could  feel  her 
little  hands  on  his  shoulders,  and  the  recollection 
thrilled  him  through  and  through.  Was  it  a  fancy 
that  the  kindness  in  her  voice  was  for  once  unmixed 
with  condescension  as  she  had  thanked  him  when  he 
opened  the  door  and  lighted  a  taper  for  her? 

She  had  said  merely  good-night,  not  good-bye, 
though  he  would  not  see  her  for  a  year.  Parting 
from  him  meant  no  more  to  her  than  parting  from 
Bonita  or  the  Bernards;  while  he — he  had  lain 
awake  half  the  remaining  night-hours  musing  upon 
the  mystic  beauty  of  her  face,  his  last  sight  of  it 
by  the  dim  light,  recalling  the  chance  touch  of  her 
fingers  as  he  had  placed  the  candle  in  them. 

And  over  and  over  the  experiences  of  the  day 
had  passed  through  his  sleepless  soul,  every  change 
in  her  child-eyes,  every  turn  of  her  lithe  body.  And 
his  dream !  He  was  holding  some  one  on  the  verge 
of  an  extinct  volcano  over-shadowed  by  dead  cotton- 
woods,  his  eyes  blinded  by  a  too  near  candle,  while 
all  the  air  smelled  like  a  woman's  hair;  and  he  had 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  199 

awakened  weary  from  vain  efforts  to  get  away  from 
some  one  or  something. 

Well,  he  had  "  tried,"  Edwin  Allan,  he  had 
"  tried."  And  now,  thanks  be  to  God,  he  was  out 
of  the  wilderness  of  temptation.  He  stopped,  re- 
moved his  hat,  pushed  back  his  thick  hair  and  took 
a  deep  breath  of  the  sweet  mountain  air. 

Ah,  it  was  well  she  was  going,  well  in  more  ways 
than  one.  Did  she  think  they  were  children  still, 
could  always  remain  children?  How  reckless,  how 
indiscreet  she  was.  If  she  remained,  there  would 
be  a  rude  awakening  for  her ;  it  was  inevitable.  Sup- 
posing she  had  heard  that  snatch  of  talk  between 
two  of  the  stablemen  this  morning  as  he  had  heard 
it?  It  had  run  something  like  this: 

"  Got  in  purty  late  las'  night,  didn't  he?  "  That 
was  the  trainer's  voice. 

"  I'd  have  been  a  darned  sight  later  'an  he  was, 
if  I'd  had  such  company."  That  was  Sam's  voice. 

"  A — w,  Sam,  she  didn't  go  'way  up  there  with 
him.  I  seen  him  start  alone;  and  when  I  saddled 
f'r  her,  long  time  afterward,  she  put  off  straight  f'r 
the  town  road." 

"  Oh,  she  did.  Well,  he  must  have  turned  back 
an'  overtook  her  somehow  er  other,  cause  they  got 
in  together.  Reckon  I  orto  know.  Who  sleeps  in 
hyere,  huh  ?  Thought  he  was  mighty  foxy  a-takin' 
her  to  the  House  fust  an'  a-doin'  his  own  unsaddlin'. 


200  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

But  nobody  gits  in  Eldhurst  stables  without  Sammie 
a-knowin'  it.  An'  I  come  down,  an'  there  was 
Bonita  in  the  stall  with  Bayonne,  both  wet  where 
the  saddles  had  been.  So  now !  " 

"  Wall,  what  of  it,  young  'un  ?  Hain't  her  and 
Paul  been  trottin'  round  this  ranch  together  ever 
sence  they  was  knee-high?  Reckon  he  kin  take 
care  of  her." 

Sam  laughed  insinuatingly.  "Oh,  shore  thing! 
An'  some  of  these  days  the  Boss'll  wake  up  an'  find 
he's  got  a  son-in-law.  Find  he'd  more'n  that,  if  that 
little  beauty  tagged  me  round  like  she  does 
Menendez." 

"  Git  o-u-t,  you  fool !  'S  though  she'd  look  twice 
at  him.  Why,  she's  goin'  to  marry  the  tenderfoot, 
DeLacy.  Ruth  told  me  so." 

"  It's  you  that's  the  fool,  an'  Ruth  an'  the  tender- 
foot an'  the  Boss — whole  shootin'-match.  You'll 
see.  Leastwise  if  I  was  in  Paul's  shoes,  you'd  see. 
Ain't  much  I  wouldn't  do  to  show  them  damned 
Eldreths  they  ain't  so  bang-up  as  they  think.  Paul 
won't,  maybe;  but  'twon't  be  because  he  can't.  Put 
Mr.  Richard  in  his  place  with  as  pretty  a  girl  an' 
what  would  happen — huh  ?  "  And  again  that  in- 
sinuating laugh. 

At  this  point  Paul  had  confronted  the  two,  and 
the  frightened  stable  boy  had  successively  apolo- 
gized, begged  and  made  promises  for  the  future. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  201 

But  Paul,  sick  at  heart,  had  been  forced  to  the  point 
of  thanking  God  that  she  was  going  so  soon  and  for 
so  long  a  time, — he  who  but  a  week  ago  had  been 
praying  God  to  stop  the  sun  and  stars  in  their 
courses. 

"  Hello,  Davis,"  he  shouted,  espying  the  keeper 
of  the  lodge. 

The  old  man  dropped  his  axe  and  took  off  his  hat. 

"  Hi  thought  you'd  be  'ere  before  long,  sir,"  in 
the  soft  voice  usual  to  the  semi-deaf. 

"  I  see  Sam  has  come  and  gone,  and  that  the 
lodge  is  O.  K.  for  Mr.  Eldreth's  party  next  week. 
Now  there's  nothing  but  the  ammunition,  and  then 
we'll  go  up  the  gulches  to  the  traps.  Guess  I'll  stay 
all  night.  Feels  like  a  storm." 

"  Then  you  'aven't  seen  'er,  sir?  " 

"  Seen  whom  ?  "  But  his  own  quickening  heart 
answered  him  swiftly. 

There  was  a  grin  on  the  old  man's  face  as  he  re- 
plied :  "  Why,  the  Boss's  girl,  to  be  sure.  There 
she  goes  into  the  lodge  now  with  a  load  of  flowers." 

Paul  looked  at  him  frowningly.  That  grin  and 
the  insinuating  tone  angered  him.  He  wondered 
how  many  more  quarrels  he  should  have  on  her 
behalf  before  the  week  was  over.  He  said  with 
all  the  severe  dignity  he  could  put  into  a  shout : 

"  I'll  speak  with  her,  Davis,  and  rejoin  you  in  a 
few  minutes,  when  we'll  go  to  the  snares  up  thej 
gulches." 


202  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

He  found  her  down  on  the  bear-skin  before  the 
big  fire-place,  her  swirling  white  skirts  half 
smothered  with  kinnikinic  and  cedar-sprigs.  Her 
too-transparent  dress  was  of  white,  soft  and  volu- 
minous. The  waist  and  sleeves  were  shockingly 
thin,  showing  her  creamy  skin  through  more  webby, 
airy  stuff  underneath,  cross-barred  with  strips  of 
nothing  and  threaded  with  ghosts  of  white  ribbons 
— all  of  which  he  very  much  feared  could  not  have 
been  intended  for  mortal  eyes,  but  for  the  life  of 
him  he  couldn't  help  looking.  Scarlet  ribbon  bound 
her  slim  waist  and  fastened  the  end  of  her  heavy 
braid.  She  seemed  wholly  and  absolutely  uncon- 
scious of  the  presence  of  an  intruder,  so  he  had  time 
for  a  full  minute  of  breathless  looking  before, 
smiling  and  dimpling,  she  glanced  up. 

"  You  here,  Senoritof    Why,  how  nice!  " 

But  his  glance  was  full  of  grave  remonstrance 
now,  and  his  mouth  twice  graver  than  his  eyes. 
He  was  silent,  and  the  silences  of  some  persons  can 
mean  so  much.  Almost  they  were  changing  places, 
that  he  should  even  imply  a  rebuke  to  her.  She 
sprang  up  and  stood  regarding  him  haughtily. 

"  Pray,  is  this  not  Eldhurst  lodge?"  she  ques- 
tioned, "  Was  I,  Lilys  Eldreth,  supposed  to  know 
that  you  would  be  sent  here?  Haven't  I  the  right 
to  all  Eldhurst  without  stopping  to  ask  where  its 
employes  may  be  at  work?  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  203 

As  yet  he  had  not  spoken.  She  was  accusing 
herself.  A  pained  expression  came  into  his  steady 
blue  eyes  as  they  looked  into  her  proud  obstinate 
face.  He  lifted  his  hand  in  deprecation  and  turned 
silently  away. 

Her  mood  changed  instantly.  She  came  toward 
him,  searching  his  unreadable  face. 

"  Is  it  that  you  have  work  and  don't  want  a  girl 
around  to  bother?  Do  you  '  sorto  suffocate  to  be 
alone'?" 

Not  want  her !  Oh,  that  faint  boundary  line,  that 
crumbling  verge ! 

"  Not  that,"  he  denied,  hastily  retreating,  "  but  I 
hear  horsemen  at  the  entrance  of  the  canon,  and  I 
have  two  or  three  hours'  work  with  Davis.  You 
are  not  afraid  here  alone  ?  " 

"  Oh  no.  I  will  arrange  the  flowers.  But  you 
must  hurry  back.  Slight  something;  and  we'll 
read  and  sing,  if  the  old  piano's  in  tune.  There'll  be 
half  an  afternoon  and  we'll  have  one  more  little  good 
time,  won't  we?  " 

"  Won't  we?  "  she  insisted  as  he  walked  away  to 
a  safer  distance  from  all  those  cross-bars  and  ghosts 
of  ribbons.  For  answer  he  smiled  back  at  her  with 
unconscious  tenderness  in  his  eyes. 

When,  some  two  hours  later,  he  approached  the 
lodge  from  the  rear,  he  heard  voices  at  the  front. 
He  entered  the  back  door,  traversed  the  rooms  and 


204  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

paused  at  sound  of  his  own  name  in  Richard  Eld- 
reth's  sneering-  voice.  Lilys  was  standing  in  the 
front  door,  her  brother  was  outside  on  horseback, 
and  now  she  was  saying  defiantly : 

"  I  will  not.  I  prefer  to  return  with  Paul.  You 
are  in  no  condition  to  escort  a  lady,  just  back  from 
Denver  as  you  are,  and  I  dare  say  Bert  DeLacy  is 
no  better.  So  you  may  as  well  go  on.  What  if  it 
storms?  Why,  I'll  stay  here  if  it  pleases  me." 

A  drunken  laugh  sounded,  with  something  about 
it  being  sure  to  please  her,  and  something  else  about 
her  father. 

"  Go  right  home,  and  tell  Papa  the  minute  he 
comes  in  the  morning.  I  don't  care.  Tell  him  I 
planned  the  rain  and  came  on  purpose  to  stay.  I'd 
stay  now,  Dix  Eldreth,  if  you  had  the  carriage  right 
here  at  the  door.  .  It's  my  own  business,  and  I'll 
stay  a  week  if  I  like,  see  if  I  don't !  " 

All  of  Richard's  parting  shot  he  could  not  hear, 
as  the  horse  was  pawing  and  stamping,  and  the 
rising  wind  moaned ;  but  he  caught  the  words  "  low- 
born lover  "  and  something  about  admiring  her  taste 
for  Greasers,  as  with  another  drunken  laugh,  the 
man  rode  swiftly  away. 

The  two  faced  each  other  in  the  sitting-room. 
His  brow  had  cleared,  his  eyes  were  smiling.  Why 
not,  since  the  offender  was  beyond  reach?  Her 
cheeks  burned  two  angry  crimson  spots  and  on  her 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  205 

face  such  an  indescribable  expression,  such  a  com- 
mingling of  new  and  strong  emotions. 

She  went  to  the  mantel  and  with  her  forehead 
down  upon  the  sharp  edge,  leaned  there,  her  breast 
heaving  with  suppressed  feeling.  He  hesitated  a 
moment,  looked  at  his  watch,  then  walked  to  the 
open  door  and  studied  the  sky. 

A  great  cloud,  white  at  first,  was  puffing  and  boil- 
ing up  over  the  range,  trailing  off  toward  the 
south,  its  dark  shadow  following  beneath  from 
peak  to  peak.  While  he  stood,  the  cloud-curtain 
changed  to  a  dull  gray,  then  to  dark  blue,  and 
faint  lightnings  began  to  vein  it.  The  sun  dropped 
behind  the  granite  wall  and  the  little  clearing  lay 
plunged  in  the  shadow  of  both  mountain  and  cloud. 
The  rain  was  close,  but  his  resolve  was  taken. 

"  Lilys,  where  did  you  leave  Bonita?  You  must 
be  starting  at  once.  You  will  barely  escape  the 
rain  by  swift  riding." 

The  girl  sank  into  the  nearest  chair,  covering  her 
face.  "  I  came  with  Sam  and  sent  him  back,"  she 
groaned,  "  Oh,  I  ..."  And  she  sat  clasping  and 
unclasping  her  small  distracted  hands. 

"You  did  not  bring  Bonita?  And  there's  not 
another  horse  in  reach,  for  I  walked."  Then  noting 
her  distress  and  shame,  he  came  to  her  and  his 
voice  was  as  tender  and  soothing  as  a  mother's  to 
her  child :  "  Never  mind,  Little  Mistress,  I  can  get 


206  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

you  home  in  time,  and  these  won't  be  the  first  wet 
miles  we've  measured  together.  Thank  the  Lord, 
you're  a  flesh-and-blood  Western  girl  and  not  a  wax 
doll.  Get  your  hat,  and  be  quick !  " 

She  obeyed  him,  with  never  a  word  about  re- 
maining there  with  old  Davis,  nor  about  the  one 
more  little  good  time.  He  caught  up  the  wrap  she 
had  forgotten  and  followed  her  into  the  porch. 
She  stood  watching  while  he  fastened  the  door  with 
some  difficulty  against  the  increasing  wind.  She 
looked  the  lodge  over,  and  her  companion  and  the 
surroundings  with  a  strange  sensation  at  her  heart. 
The  noisy  brook  seemed  speaking  with  tongues; 
the  winds  prophesying.  Was  it  all  a  premonition 
of  the  time  when  next  they  should  stand  on  the 
same  spot, — of  all  the  changes  between  this  hour 
and  that?  Who  shall  say? 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  207 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

DAWN. 

THEY  walked  rapidly  down  the  trail  that  swung 
in  and  out  and  downward  with  the  erratic  meander- 
ings  of  the  little  stream.  The  cloud  had  overspread 
the  sky  and  settled  earthward,  unfolding  its  volumi- 
nous robes  to  the  rising  wind.  The  air  grew  chilly 
with  suggestions  of  dampness.  The  thunder  grum- 
bled distantly,  and  thousands  of  unhappy  spirits 
moaned  through  the  pines  and  aspens. 

Once  he  stopped  to  fold  about  her  the  extra 
wrap  he  had  caught  up  in  starting,  and  she  sub- 
mitted passively,  holding  up  her  chin  that  he  might 
hook  the  clasp,  but  avoiding  his  eyes.  Once  he 
asked  was  he  walking  too  fast  for  her,  and  she 
shook  her  head  in  silence.  At  the  canon's  entrance 
where  the  footpath  crossed  the  bridgeless  stream, 
he  unceremoniously  picked  her  up  and  without  a 
word  carried  her  over  the  stepping-stones. 

Out  in  the  foot-hills  it  was  lighter,  but  the  wind 
had  fuller  sweep  and  their  progress  was  slower. 
He  took  her  arm  and  hurried  her  forward.  Just 
round  the  hill  ahead,  he  reminded  her,  the  buildings 
of  Eldhurst  could  be  seen,  the  Rectory  and  Mr, 


208  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Howard's,  but  his  mother's  cottage  was  nearest, 
on  the  next  side  hill,  and  he  would  take  her  there 
till  the  rain  was  over. 

For  the  rain  was  treading  upon  their  heels.  Sharp 
lightnings  rent  the  increasing  gloom  and  warning 
drops  splashed  round  them.  Beyond  the  hill  they 
were  skirting  and  just  at  the  foot  of  the  one  lead- 
ing up  to  Marah's  cottage,  there  was  a  huge  over- 
hanging ledge  of  rocks  sheltering  a  hollow,  cave- 
like  space  beneath,  no  matter  what  the  wind's  di- 
rection. Both  knew  of  Hanging  Rock,  for  they 
were  familiar  with  every  foot  of  the  country.  They 
gained  it,  as  the  rain  came  flooding  down. 

"  You'd  think  I  was  brought  up  in  Gotham,  the 
way  I  judge  the  approach  of  a  mountain  thunder- 
storm," he  said  as  he  drew  her  under  shelter  of  the 
ledge,  "  Poor  girl !  What  a  tramp  I  have  given 
you.  Are  you  very  tired?  Are  you  cold?  Want 
my  coat  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head,  leaning  away  from  him 
against  the  back  wall.  He  stood  near  the  front, 
looking  ruefully  out  upon  the  steady  downpour. 

"  See  the  deluge.  Or,  to  be  classical,  '  Hark 
you  now!  Would  any  but  these  boiled  brains  of 
nineteen  and  two-and-twenty  hunt  this  weather  ?  ' 
Nineteen  and  two-and-twenty — those  limits  include 
both  of  us.  But  we're  well  punished  for  '  hunting 
such  weather/  For  I'm  afraid  we  are  here  for 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  209 

awhile.  But  this  hill  drains  quickly  and  the  moment 
it  gives  us  the  chance,  we'll  make  one  more  little 
run  to  mother's.  Just  now  we'll  have  to  make  the 
best  of  it.  I  know  you're  not  afraid  of  thunder 
and  lightning." 

He  was  devoutly  wishing  she  were  afraid ;  for  in 
that  case  she  would  have  to  hide  her  eyes  some- 
where and  ....  All  the  while  he  was  talking  on 
so  carelessly,  he  was  looking  at  her  lovely  face 
in  the  half  light,  was  thinking:  "A  man  had 
given  all  other  bliss."  Yes,  all,  everything.  "  And 
all  his  worldly  worth  for  this — "  Aye,  this  world's 
worth  and  the  next  world's  too,  if  he  had  any. 
"  To  waste  his  whole  heart  in  one  kiss — "  Indeed, 

yes,  waste,  squander,  forfeit! One,  only 

one.  This  was  the  last  hour,  of  the  last  day,  of  the 
last  of  life  for  him.  There  was  no  tomorrow.  Ah, 
that  trembling  verge  on  which  he  stood  was  threat- 
ened with  a  landslide.  Those  eyes,  that  mouth  of 
hers — they  would  make  a  man  forget  promises, 
consequences,  honor  itself.  They  would  tempt  the 
glorified  risen,  and  he  was  a  mere  man — her  father's 
hired  man,  he  told  himself  bitterly.  .  .  .  Yet  one, 
ONE,  though  the  mountains  "fall  the  next  instant. 
He  turned  toward  her — 

"  Paul,  do  you  know  why  I  went  to  the  lodge 
today?" 

She  too  had  been  thinking  confused   thoughts. 


210  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

She  was  rushing  to  her  life-crisis,  her  great  heart- 
dawn,  at  once  an  awakening  and  a  revelation.  But 
the  thickest  darkness  precedes  the  dawn,  and  just 
now  she  was  groping  and  stumbling  in  that  dark- 
ness. 

All  the  way  down  her  brother's  taunts  kept  re- 
peating themselves.  Paul,  her  lover!  An  insult! 
Yet  the  idea  dyed  her  face  and  warmed  her  heart 
with  the  same  mysterious,  delicious  thrill  that  his 
touch  had  given  her.  Lover,  lover!  No,  no,  she 
would  protest  one  moment,  he  with  all  his  learning, 
his  goodness,  his  greatness  of  soul — he  could  not 
love  her.  Then  she  would  hear  that  drunken  sneer 
"  lowborn,"  and  no,  no,  he  with  his  parentage,  his 
tainted  blood,  his  social  standing,  he  dared  not;  the 
thought  was  degrading.  But  did  he?  In  all  these 
years,  had  the  thought  ever  so  much  as  suggested 
itself  to  him  ?  Oh,  she  must  know,  she  must — this 
mother's  daughter  of  Eve.  Hence  her  question. 

"Was  there  any  special  reason?"  he  answered 
half-wistfully.  The  momentary  madness  had 
passed.  He  had  been  crushed  so  often.  How  could 
he  be  presumptuous? 

"  Yes,"  and  she  watched  keenly  for  a  change  in 
his  strong  face,  with  long  pauses  between  her  state- 
ments, "  I  knew  you  would  be  there  .  .  .  and  I 
wanted  to  ask  your  advice  about — about  Mr.  De- 
Lacy." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  211 

Positively,  there  was  not  a  sign  of  betrayal  in 
face  nor  voice  as,  recoiling  slightly,  he  said  stead- 
ily: 

"  Your  uncle's  advice  would  be  far  better  than 
mine." 

Silence  then;  and  she  was  no  wiser  for  her  "  justi- 
fiable lie."  The  darkness  was  just  as  deep,  the 
groping  and  the  stumbling  just  as  hopeless. 

During  the  long  silence,  the  cloud  broke  and  the 
rain  ceased  with  the  abruptness  characteristic  of 
the  climate  and  the  season.  Neither  made  a  move 
to  go ;  each  was  afraid  the  other  would  do  so.  He 
was  thinking  that  these  were  the  last  moments  he 
could  be  near  her — ever,  perhaps;  was  fighting  de- 
spair itself.  She  was  meditating  how  she  might 
know  if  he  had  ever  dared  to  think  of  her  as  other 
than  his  master's  daughter;  and  if  he  had,  how  she 
might  break  that  fine  self-command  of  his.  There 
were  ways. 

"  We  did  not  have  our  one  more  little  good  time 
after  all,  did  we,  Paul  ?  "  There  was  a  pathetic 
half-tenderness  in  her  tone  as  she  lingered  over  his 
name. 

He  locked  his  hands  fast  before  him  and  looked  at 
her  steadily,  the  pain  in  his  eyes  deepening  till 
she  grew  dim  before  him.  He  made  her  no  reply. 

"  Why  don't  you  ask  me  to  sing  for  you  now, 
here, — one  last  song,  one  wee  new  song  with  such 


212  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

a  ripply,  crinkly  waltz-air  and  such  rare  wicked 
words.  I  am  going  away  for  a  year,  Paul — for 
a  whole  year." 

"  My  God !  "  he  whispered  under  his  breath,  then 
turned  aside  and  stood  silent,  erect,  white-faced. 
She  moved  slowly  toward  him,  into  range  of  his 
vision.  Her  hat  was  down  her  back,  her  wrap  over 
her  arm  and  her  hair  blowing  loose  from  its  braid. 
Then  her  voice,  with  all  its  witching  sweetness,  the 
compelling  power  of  an  undertone  he  had  never 
heard  in  it, — enhanced  by  their  half-wild  surround- 
ings and  accompanied  by  the  drip-dripping  of  the 
raindrops : 

The  Warm  Wind  kisses  the  Rose  of  May, 

So  daring  ! 
•    She  turns  not  away,  nor  says  him  nay, 

Who's  caring  ? 

For  buds  will  blow  and  winds  must  go, 
If  he  comes  not  back,  who'll  know,  who'll  know 
That  she  lay  caressed  on  the  Wind's  warm  breast  ? 

If  he  dares,  who  cares  ? 

The  bold  Wave  kisses  the  Lily's  mouth, 

So  daring  ! 
Though  she  knows  he  is  fleeing  away  to  the  south, 

Who's  caring  ? 

For  buds  will  blow  and  streams  must  flow, 
He  will  ne'er  come  back.  .  Who'll  know,  who'll  know 
That  she  lay  so  fair  on  his  bosom  bare  ? 

If  he  dares,  who  cares  ? 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  213 

My  Love  he  kisses  me  while  he  may, 

So  daring  ! 
I  turn  not  away  nor  say  him  nay, 

Who's  caring  ? 

For  lips  will  glow  and  my  Love  must  go 
As  the  wind  and  the  wave.     Who'll  know,  who'll  know 
That  I  reeled  with  bliss  'neath  my  Love's  warm  kiss  ? 

If  he  dares,  who  cares  ? 

Then  only  the  rhythmic  drip-drop  of  the  rain,  and 
the  beating  of  their  own  hearts. 

Obedient  to  some  power,  both  turned  at  the 
same  instant  and  looked  breathlessly  into  each 
other's  eyes.  Her  head  was  thrown  back,  her 
glance  sifting  up  through  half-closed  lids;  her  lips 
were  parted,  a  wine-cup  undrained ;  her  magnificent 
hair  (loosened  whether  by  the  wind's  will  or  by  her 
own — you  must  say)  drifted  about  her  white  dress 
like  a  dusky  mantle,  its  passionate  incense  assailing 
his  nostrils.  She  was  temptation  incarnate;  as  fair 
and 

"  Young 
As  Eve  with  nature's  daybreak  on  her  face." 

And  in  all  the  great  universe  there  were  but 
themselves  and  the  mystery  of  descending  night. 

There  was  not  a  yard's  saving  space  between 
them.  Something  told  him  that  the  space  must  be 
kept — a  dull  something,  akin  to  self-preservation. 
He  was  trembling  like  the  mountain  aspen.  The 


214  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

capacity  for  thought  and  action  seemed  to  have 
deserted  him.  There  was  a  monotonous  humming 
in  his  ears.  He  experienced  the  dumb  rage  of  the 
starving  animal  tantalized  by  present,  yet  forbidden, 
food.  He  tried  to  turn  away,  to  look  away,  but  in- 
stead they  were  approaching  each  other  as  though 

impelled,  and  he  realized  it Of  a  sudden  the 

blood  leaped  to  his  face.  He  snatched  both  her 
hands,  clutching  them  with  unconscious  fierceness, 
and  drew  her  swiftly  to  him. 

But  with  a  little  inarticulate  cry,  she  wrenched 
from  his  hold  and  recoiled  against  the  farthest  wall, 
flushing,  quivering,  shaken  to  the  depths,  one  hand 
flung  up  between  them.  He  saw  in  her  attitude 
only  the  queen  insulted;  in  her  eyes  only  the  un- 
quenchable flame  of  pride  mounting  and  consuming 
all  other  expression. 

This  was  the  end,  then !  He  almost  dragged  her 
from  their  shelter  and  on  up  the  slope  toward  his 
mother's  cottage. 

This  was  the  end  then!  Out  of  the  chaos  of  her 
emotions  she  grasped  one  unmistakably,  now.  In 
that  fragment  of  time  when  he  had  drawn  her  to- 
ward him,  all  but  into  his  arms,  her  vision  had  been 
cleared  wholly.  The  darkness  had  flown.  The  cur- 
tain of  spirit  had  been  lifted;  the  veil  of  sex  had 
been  rent.  She,  the  girl  no  longer,  read  her  wo- 
man's heart  at  last.  Bent  on  drawing  the  truth 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  215 

from  him,  she  had  wrenched  it  from  herself;  and 
she  knew,  without  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  why  she 
did  not  want  to  go  away,  whom  she  did  not  want 
to  leave. 

"  Low-born."  True.  A  fleeting  vision  of  that 
hideous  tree  swam  before  her.  The  humiliation, 
the  degradation  came  crushingly  to  her  proud  heart. 
Yet  over  and  above  this  feeling  rose  one  far 
stronger,  a  mad,  uncontrollable  desire  for  the  close 
strong  clasp  of  his  arms,  as  they  had  folded  her 
yesterday  on  the  cliff's  edge,  but  once  more — now, 
And  after  that,  what  mattered — anything? 

But — her  thoughts  were  growing  more  confused, 
more  inextricable.  He  cared  nothing.  .  .  He  had 
not  half  yielded,  even  after  her  song,  that  shameless 
song.  .  .  .  And  now,  a  few  more  steps,  and  they 
must  part,  PART  !  And  she  loved  him,  O  God !  how 
she  loved  him !  The  hills  wavered  and  reeled  about 
her;  it  grew  cold  and  ....  so  dark. 

He  turned  solicitously  as  she  stopped  and  stood, 
her  hands  over  her  face.  The  wind  whipped  her 
full  skirts  around  him,  her  long  hair  across  his 
breast.  She  uncovered  her  face  and  lifted  her  eyes, 
her  lips  voicelessly  framing  his  name.  Then  she 
swayed  forward  and  he  caught  her  up  from  her 
feet. 

Pushing  open  the  cottage  door  and  passing  his 
surprised  mother,  he  carried  the  girl  on  into  his 
own  room. 


216  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

When  Marah  struck  a  light  and  followed,  she 
found  him  sitting  on  the  side  of  the  bed  with  Lilys 
folded  close  to  his  breast.  But  when  the  light  re- 
vealed the  closed  eyes,  the  corpse-like  pallor  of  her 
face  against  the  blackness  of  her  disheveled  hair, 
he  started  up,  exclaiming: 

"  Mother !    She  is  dying—" 

"  Fool !  "  cried  Marah,  "haven't  you  sense  enough 
to  lay  a  fainting  girl  down?  What  is  it  you  have 
said  and  done?  Or,"  with  a  keen  glance  into  his 
face,  "  is  it  that  you  haven't  said  it,  haven't  done 
it  ?  Give  her  to  me.  She  will  not  die.  They  never 
can  when  they  want  to.  They  live,  and  live — and 
live." 

He  laid  her  tenderly  among  the  pillows,  leaned 
yearning  above  her  for  an  instant;  then  the  last 
floodgate  of  his  control  gave  way.  With  a  groan 
he  fell  beside  the  bed,  gathering  her  to  him  again, 
his  face  down  in  the  swirl  of  her  hair,  his  strong 
frame  shaken  by  a  passion  of  silent  sobs. 

His  mother  stood  regarding  the  tableau,  her 
hands  on  her  hips,  evil  laughter  in  her  eyes.  She 
was  too  experienced  a  nurse  to  feel  anxiety ;  already 
she  saw  signs  of  recovery  from  the  slight  swoon. 
Her  laugh  sounded,  and  with  the  coarseness  that 
so  often  came  to  the  surface  of  her  nature,  she  said : 

"  Well,  hugging  won't  cure  her  when  she  don't 
know  what  you're  doing.  You're  pretty  late  in 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  217 

the  day  with  it.  You  couldn't  keep  her  up  to  the 
Lodge  with  you — oh  no!  you  must  drag  her  down 
here  to  me." 

She  muttered  something  else  and  left  the  room. 
She  closed  the  door  noisily,  but  re-opened  it  softly, 
just  a  crack,  and  applied  an  eager,  gloating  eye. 

She  saw  him  lift  his  head,  withdraw  his  arms 
and  come  slowly  to  his  feet,  though  "  his  father's 
look  "  was  on  his  face  as  he  stood  gazing  down, 
the  loving  man,  upon  the  sleeping  woman,  how 
hungrily,  how  passionately!  But  the  look  passed 
at  once  and  there  came  the  old  brooding  tender- 
ness, sad,  resigned,  almost  solemn.  She  saw  him 
bend,  his  hands  fast-locked  before  him,  and  lean 
close,  as  though  committing  the  unconscious  face, 
feature  by  feature,  to  memory. 

And  this  was  all  the  eager,  gloating  eye  saw.  For 
when  the  girl  sighed  and  was  about  to  open  her 
eyes,  he  turned  hastily  and  retreated  through  the 
outer  door. 

And  a  few  minutes  later  they  heard  the  swift  beat 
of  horse's  hoofs  on  the  road  to  the  Lower  Ranch. 


218  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  GENTLEMAN  AND  THE  HIRED  MAN. 

ONE  warm  evening  toward  the  end  of  summer, 
his  day's  work  done,  Paul  was  walking  from  the 
House  toward  home.  With  his  thoughts  two  thou- 
sand miles  east,  he  stopped  at  the  group  of  out- 
cropping rocks  known  as  Red  Cliff,  leaned  and  be- 
gan feeling  for  cigar  and  matches,  when  he  was 
startled  by  a  voice  from  the  interior  of  the  rock- 
cluster,  a  man's  angry  voice,  which  said : 

"  You  are  late  again.  I'm  no  sheep-herder  to  be 
kept  waiting  like  this,  with  guests  at  the  House." 

And  Richard  Eldreth  emerged  from  the  narrow 
entrance,  so  close  that  the  young  men  were  literally 
eye  to  eye.  Both  were  surprised ;  one  of  them  em- 
barrassed; but  neither  apologized,  and  for  the  in- 
stant neither  moved.  Then  Richard  stooped  to  pick 
up  his  hat,  saying  carelessly  as  he  brushed  it  with 
his  handkerchief : 

"  Ah,  Menendez.    I  took  you  for  some  one  else." 

"  So  I  judge,"  returned  the  other  drily.  He  had 
drawn  a  cigar  from  one  pocket,  his  knife  from  an- 
other, and  was  cutting  the  cigar-tip  with  pains- 
taking care.  His  companion  watched  through  an 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  219 

irritated  silence  while  he  wasted  two  matches.  The 
third  match  proving  itself,  the  smoker  calmly  seated 
himself  upon  the  flat  rock  near  the  entrance  and 
leaned  back  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction. 

"  You're  wanted  at  the  office,"  remarked  Richard, 
still  with  assumed  carelessness,  glancing  at  his  com- 
panion with  languid  toleration. 

Paul  smoked  on  placidly. 

"  Sure.  Greaser  up  there  the  governor  can't 
talk  to,  and  it's  none  of  my  funeral." 

"Where's  Pepito?" 

"  How  in  hell  should  I  know  ?  " 

Richard  flicked  some  dust  from  the  knee  of  his 
trousers,  then  walked  the  semi-enclosure  twice,  his 
hands  in  his  pockets,  observing  from  the  corner  of 
his  eye  the  movements  of  the  serene  smoker.  But 
noting  that  it  was  an  entire  absence  of  movement, 
he  turned  and  announced  sharply : 

"  I  can  get  along  without  your  company— see  ?  " 

Paul  nursed  one  knee  with  his  clasped  hands  and 
looked  up  at  the  sky.  His  companion's  fists  un- 
closed, then  closed,  and  his  voice  quivered : 

"  You  heard  me." 

"  Richard,"  said  Paul  slowly,  "  when  I  stopped 
here  I  thought  I  was  alone.  But  now  you  are 
here,  and  I  know  why." 

"Well,  what's  it  to  you?" 

"  Nothing ;  except  what  it  would  be  to  any  man." 


220  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"Any  meddler,  you  mean;  and  I'll  show  you 
what  happens  to  the  breed  when  they  poke  into 
the  wrong  man's  business,"  threateningly. 

Paul  made  himself  more  comfortable  against  the 
rock.  His  companion  took  a  stride  nearer,  his  face 
and  neck  an  angry  red. 

"  You'll  go  or  take  consequences." 

The  other  smiled.  Evidently  he  would  take  con- 
sequences. Richard  stood,  nervously  pushing  up 
first  one  cuff  and  then  the  other  as  he  scanned  the 
coarse-clothed,  muscular  figure  before  him.  Then 
he  turned  impatiently  aside. 

"  You  hired  men  always  have  the  advantage, 
since  gentlemen  can  not  meet  you  on  equal  terms. 
Arid  this  is  not  the  first  time  you've  dodged  behind 
your  hireling's  position  to  insult  those  above  you. 
You  even  threatened  my  friend  and  guest,  De- 
Lacy." 

The  accused  seemed  singularly  undisturbed  under 
this  serious  charge. 

"  He  told  me  afterward  of  your  bullying,  but 
of  course  he  would  not  soil  his  hands  with  you." 

Only  a  lift  of  the  eyebrows  and  a  meditative 
wreath  of  smoke. 

"  And  I  know  why  you  threatened  him.  You 
were  afraid  she'd  get  out  of  your  sight  half  a  day; 
that  she  might  learn  a  bit  of  high  life  among  her 
equals." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  221 

He  paused.  How  much  further  might  he 'go? 
The  face  before  him  was  calm,  though  ashen.  It 
did  not  sufficiently  warn  him. 

"  But  she  stayed  to  learn  a  bit  of  low  life,  it 
seems,  under  your  virtuous  protection." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  The  tone  was  low 
and  even,  though  the  eyes  would  have  been  suf- 
ficient check  to  one  less  reckless. 

"  You  didn't  take  her  to  the  Lodge  late  one 
stormy  day  that  same  week,  dismiss  Sam  and  stay 
the  night — oh  no !  " 

Paul  came  to  his  feet  with  a  bound. 

"  That's  a  lie  and  you  know  it." 

"  Ah,  indeed  ?  Well,  she  didn't  deny  it  when  I 
threw  it  at  her  next  day;  seemed  proud  of  the  dis- 
tinction. So  you  might  be  man  enough  to " 

A  clutch  of  steel  shut  the  remainder  in  his  throat, 
and  a  face  with  burning  eyes  and  pale  lips  swam 
before  his  vision  as  he  was  forced  backward,  down- 
ward. 

"Say  it's  a  lie,"  breathed  the  pale  lips;  but  he 
was  demanding  an  impossibility.  "  Keep  her  name 
out  of  this, — keep  it  out,  I  tell  you,"  crushing  the 
head  against  the  rock  by  way  of  repeated  emphasis. 
Then,  his  control  returning,  he  relaxed  his  hold 
and  straightened. 

"  Get  up !  "  he  commanded  sternly. 

The  other  obeyed  sullenly,  his  face  livid  from  rage 
and  other  causes. 


222  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  She  is  your  sister,  and  if  you  haven't  common 
decency,  I'll  teach  you  some.  Now  don't  speak  her 
name  again — don't  do  it!" 

Richard  leaned  against  the  rock  till  breath  re- 
turned, then  he  shook  himself  as  though  freed  from 
contamination  itself. 

"  You  keep  your  dirty  hands  off  me,"  he  panted, 
"  or " 

The  brothers  took  further  measure  of  one  an- 
other across  the  narrow  space,  and  the  pause  was 
biting.  The  only  sign  of  emotion  in  the  younger 
was  in  the  fingers  that  tugged  at  the  collar  of  his 
flannel  shirt  as  though  it  was  too  tight  for  him. 
The  vigilant  eye  he  kept  upon  the  elder  seemed  war- 
ranted, for  it  discovered  a  hand  moving  stealthily 
toward  the  hip  pocket. 

"  I  wouldn't  do  that,  Eldreth,"  he  advised. 
Detected,  the  other  laughed  unpleasantly: 

"  Oh,  this  is  your  turn  all  right ;  but  my  turn 
will  come,  and  then,  Paul  Menendez — ' 

Paul  was  taking  another  cigar  from  his  pocket. 
He  was  again  self-master.  His  tone  was  quiet  as 
he  said: 

"  You  are  right.  In  the  present  little  matter  the 
advantage  is  with  the  hired  man.  Act  the  gentle- 
man, then,  and  go." 

"  I'm  damned  if  I  will." 

Paul's  shrug  of  the  shoulders  said,  "  As  you  like." 
He  sat  down  again  on  the  flat  rock. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  223 

"  Stay  and  be  hanged.    What  good  will  it  do?  " 

His  companion  glanced  up  in  the  act  of  scratching 
a  match.  "  When  the  girl  comes  she  will  go  with 
me." 

"  With  you,  you!"  with  scornful  incredulity. 

"  We  will  prove  it  if  you  have  the  nerve." 

"  Ah,"  taunted  the  other,  "  I  was  not  aware  that 
I  had  the — honor;  didn't  know  .  .  ."  and  he  fin- 
ished in  the  vilest  manner,  in  the  foulest  language 
imaginable. 

Paul  threw  him  a  glance  of  profound  contempt, 
then  settled  into  his  half-reclining  attitude. 

Silence  fell  between  them.  Richard  readjusted 
his  elegant,  but  somewhat  dusty,  attire  and  leaned, 
jauntily  humming  a  snatch  of  light  opera  and  ignor- 
ing his  companion. 

Presently  there  was  a  light  step,  the  crackle  of 
starched  petticoats  and  the  pronounced  odor  of 
cheap  perfume. 

"  Mr.  Richard,  is  you  there?  "  whisperingly. 

"Yes;  come." 

The  girl's  figure  appeared,  a  light  shawl  over  the 
head  and  about  the  face. 

"  I  could  not  get  away " 

She  stopped  short  as,  pulling  off  the  shawl,  she 
espied  two  men  instead  of  one. 

Richard  came  to  her  with  easy  confidence.  "  This 
place  seems  to  be  infested  with  loafers.  We'll  go 
elsewhere." 


224  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Paul  arose  and  came  slowly  forward,  throwing 
away  his  cigar.  The  girl  lifted  him  a  startled  look, 
then  shrank  against  the  rock  away  from  both  of 
them,  her  eyes  traveling  from  one  to  the  other. 
Richard  was,  for  the  first  time,  shaken  from  his  as- 
surance by  her  expression  of  face.  He  caught  her 
roughly  by  the  shoulder. 

"  Come,"  he  said  commandingly. 

The  shawl  dropped  from  her  nerveless  hands ;  she 
hid  her  face  and  burst  into  sudden  tears.  Both 
men  waited,  the  hand  of  one,  the  eyes  of  both  upon 
her.  By  and  by  she  left  off  crying  and  uncovered 
a  face  that  went  red  and  pale  by  turns  as  she  looked 
at  first  the  one  and  then  the  other. 

"  Come !  "  whispered  her  lover,  his  fingers  press- 
ing into  her  shoulder  significantly. 

The  other  stooped  and  picked  up  her  shawl,  then 
silently  extended  his  hand  to  her. 

She  pushed  the  hair  from  her  eyes  with  both 
hands,  again  looked  waveringly  from  one  to  the 
other,  then  slowly  gave  her  hand  to  Paul. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  225 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

RICHARD  SCORES  EVEN. 

As  Richard,  muttering  fervent  but  impotent  oaths, 
was  nearing  the  House,  his  father  called  to  him 
from  the  veranda  where  several  men  sat  smoking. 

"  Dick,  go  into  the  office,  won't  you,  and  dispose 
of  that  Mexican?  He's  waiting  yet.  Sorry  to 
trouble  you,  but  he  will  not  go,  and  we're  none  of 
us  Spaniards  enough  to  make  out  more  than  '  Eld- 
hurst  '  and  '  Mexico  '  and  '  veinte  y  uno  ' — twenty- 
one,  I  take  it.  Pepito's  never  in  sight  when  he's 
wanted,  and  I  guess  Paul's  gone  home." 

"  Saw  the  foreman  up  at  Red  Cliff  just  now  with 
that  Andersen  girl.  Told  him  you  needed  him." 

"  Maybe  she  needed  him,"  laughed  one  of  the 
men. 

Eldhurst  rose.  "  Well,  rid  us  of  the  Mexican, 
Dick,  then  join  us  in  the  billiard  room;  that  is,  if 
you're  prepared  for  Waterloo.  Wentworth's  got 
on  his  fighting  clothes,  to  say  nothing  of  Warrior 
Nolan  and  yours  truly." 

When  Richard  entered  the  office,  a  slight  figure 
rose  and  came  from  a  far  corner.  He  was  a  swarthy 


226  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

man  of  perhaps  fifty.  He  wore  corduroys  and  an 
embroidered  coat  much  the  worse  for  the  white 
dust  of  the  Colorado  roads.  He  had  about  him  an 
air  of  simplicity,  yet  of  gentility  as  well,  and  his 
obeisance,  while  that  of  the  low  caste  Mexican,  car- 
ried a  certain  superiority.  The  conversation  was  in 
Spanish,  very  pure  on  the  part  of  the  stranger,  who 
began  by  asking  a  thousand  pardons,  but  was  he 
upon  the  noble  estates  known  as  Eldhurst. 

He  was. 

And,  craving  an  additional  pardon,  but  the  owner 
— could  he  have  the  honor  of  one  little  word  with 
the  owner  ? 

He  was  addressing  the  owner. 

The  stranger  bowed  again,  very  low,  with  a 
sweep  of  the  peaked  hat.  Ah,  then,  his  long,  weari- 
some journey  would  not  be  vain,  for  the  informa- 
tion he  sought  was  at  hand.  Here  he  drew  nearer 
and  lowered  his  voice.  He  sought  one,  or  two,  it 
was  hoped,  of  the  name  of  Menendez.  It  was  very 
desirable  that  he  should  find  them. 

The  other's  face  was  expressionless.  He  turned 
carelessly  and  closed  the  door,  then  faced  about 
and  scanned  his  companion  rapidly,  speculatively. 
Menendez?  Menendez?  The  name  was  somewhat 
familiar  to  the  owner  of  Eldhurst,  but — what  of 
it? 

The    stranger   pressed    eagerly   nearer,    yet   his 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  227 

speech  was  markedly  guarded.  One  known  as  Man- 
uel Menendez,  dead  now  some  twenty-one  years, 
had  left  a  wife  and  a  child,  whether  girl  or  boy  the 
stranger  knew  not;  but  he  would  learn  of  them. 
The  senor  need  not  fear.  He  brought  them  good, 
only  good. 

At  that  his  hearer  shook  his  head.  He  was  sorry, 
but  the  seeker  was  on  the  wrong  track. 

Why,  was  this  not  Eldhurst? 

Ay,  and  he  the  owner.  But  no  Spanish  families 
lived  in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  knew  all  of  his 
workers  by  name,  was  in  close  touch  with  them.  He 
employed  no  Mexicans;  only  Swedes  and  a  few 
Irish.  But  hold !  that  name — he  had  heard  it  in 
connection  with  Oakhurst,  a  large  estate  in  the  San 
Luis  valley  in  Southern  Colorado,  which  was  doubt- 
less the  place  sought.  The  names  were  so  similar. 

The  stranger  wavered.  Eldhurst — surely  he  had 
not  been  mistaken. 

He  had  certainly  been  misinformed.  Oakhurst 
was  in  the  heart  of  the  sheep  country,  where  all 
the  employes  were  Mexican.  It  was  there  that  he, 
Eldhurst's  owner,  had  heard  the  name  Menendez — 
if  that  was  the  name.  Was  not  the  death  of  this 
man  somewhat  .  .  .  er  .  .  sudden,  unexpected? 

The  stranger's  eyes  lowered.  He  bowed  his  af- 
firmative. His  emotion  was  unmistakable. 

Then  it  was  the  same,  a  story  but  dimly  remem- 


228  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

bered.  No,  he  knew  no  details,  save  that  there  had 
been  a  ...  in  the  West  it  was  termed  a  lynching; 
and  he  was  quite  sure  that  the  man  had  never  mar- 
ried. But  the  owner  of  Oakhurst,  if  he,  Eldreth, 
were  mentioned,  would  do  all  in  his  power  for  the 
seeker.  No,  it  was  not  a  great  distance;  the  train 
at  Boulder,  change  at  Denver,  then  Monte  Vista, 
the  nearest  railway  point  to  Oakhurst.  Was  that 
all? 

Richard  had  stood  during  the  entire  conversation. 
Now  he  moved  toward  the  door.  The  stranger  fol- 
lowed reluctantly,  sighing  "  Dios  miol"  more  than 
once. 

At  the  door  he  stopped  and  stood  with  bowed 
head.  He  was  no  longer  young,  scnorito.  He  had 
traveled  weary  miles.  His  mule  was  worn.  He 
himself  was  very  sad,  very  heavy  of  heart,  where  he 
had  been  so  sure  he  would  return  light  of  heart. 
He  had  promised  glad  tidings  to  those  near  to  him, 
but  he  had  been  misinformed,  misguided,  befooled 
— he,  the  bearer  of  good,  only  good. 

His  hearer  was  sorry,  but  twenty  years  are  a 
long  time.  Doubtless  he  would  not  know  descend- 
ants, should  he  find  any. 

Ah,  but  he  would  know.  Any  false  claimant 
must  show  the  ring,  the  shield  ring  which  must 
still  be  preserved,  since  it  was  not  .  .  .  since  it 
had  not  been  on.  .  .  Then  he  floundered  hopelessly. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  229 

Richard  had  listened  politely.  Now  he  opened 
the  door.  He  had  guests  who  were  awaiting  him. 
Again  he  was  sorry. 

The  stranger  looked  old  and  bent  as  he  passed 
wearily  out.  He  staggered  once,  and  kept  mutter- 
ing to  himself,  "  Vestigia  milla  retrorsum! " 

On  the  steps  of  the  veranda  he  turned  and  bowed 
low  to  the  "  owner  "  of  Eldhurst,  with  a  thousand 
pardons  for  the  intrusion,  a  thousand  thanks  for 
his  kindness,  for  which  God  would  reward  him.  He 
bowed  with  sweeping  inclusion  to  the  other  senors, 
then  walked  with  slow  dignity  to  the  block  and 
mounted  his  drooping  little  mule. 

Richard  waited  till  mule  and  rider  had  passed 
from  sight,  then  turned  with  a  sigh  of  genuine  re- 
lief. 

His  father  laughed.  "  Struck  a  snag,  did  you, 
with  his  'Mexico'  and  his  '  one-and-twenty  '  ?  " 

"  Mighty  near.  Didn't  know  my  Spanish  was  so 
rusty." 

"  Old  chap  had  the  manners  of  a  prince,"  put  in 
Wentworth,  the  newspaper  man,  alertly.  "  What 
was  that  he  kept  chanting  to  himself  as  he  bowed 
himself  out?" 

"  Oh,  something  about  not  taking  any  backward 
steps.  Harry's  nothing  if  not  a  reporter,"  and  Rich- 
ard winked  at  Nolan,  "  always  copy-hunting  for 
that  precious  yellow  sheet.  No  copy  this  time. 


230  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Your  '  prince  '  was  fresh  from  '  Mexico  ' ;  '  one- 
and-twenty  '  years  experience  with  sheep ;  wanted 
a  job." 

Pepito  came  panting  up  the  steps. 

"  You  wanted  me,  Mr.  Eldreth,  Sam  said." 

"  Why  yes,"  sarcastically,  "  about  five  hours 
ago." 

Pepito  hung  his  head. 

"  I  sure  wasn't  away  that  long,  sir.  I  was  only 
doing  a  favor  for  Paul." 

Richard  glanced  after  him  with  a  laugh  and  a 
shrug. 

"  Been  doing  my  little  best  along  the  same  line," 
he  muttered,  as  he  followed  down  to  the  billiard 
room. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  231 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

"  IS  THIS  YOUR  SON,  MY  LORD?  " 

LILYS  did  not  come  to  her  far  Western  home  for 
the  holidays.  The  distance  was  too  great.  But 
there  came  to  her  father  and  brother  on  Christinas 
morning  an  excellent  oil  portrait  of  herself.  Helene 
received  it  early,  and,  following  the  instructions  of 
Lilys's  letter  to  her,  she  unpacked  and  hung  it  in 
the  library  as  a  surprise  for  them. 

Pierce  Eldreth  and  his  son,  with  the  Rector  as 
their  only  guest,  ate  a  lonely  Christmas  dinner,  the 
first  holidays  his  daughter  had  ever  been  absent 
from  Eldhurst.  She  was  barely  mentioned  through 
the  meal;  they  missed  her  too  keenly.  No  one 
had  as  yet  chanced  upon  the  portrait  in  the  library. 

The  meal  was  ending.  Richard,  as  was  growing 
his  habit  of  late,  had  indulged  freely  in  all  the  wines 
of  the  course  dinner,  and  had  settled  into  a  dreamy 
silence,  leaving  the  conversation  to  the  elder  men. 
Only  when  the  saw-mill  was  mentioned  did  he  rouse 
himself  to  say,  in  the  hesitating  speech  of  semi-in- 
toxication, that  Antonio  Garia  ought  to  be  made 
to  stick  closer  to  his  work  up  there;  that  he  was 


232  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

down  to  Quarry  Town  pretty  blanked  often;  and 
that  if  his  father  wanted  to  give  him,  Richard,  an 
acceptable  Christmas  gift,  he  would  present  him  that 
fellow's  discharge. 

For  answer  his  father  gave  him  a  glance  half 
inquiring,  half  mystified,  and  went  on  talking  about 
the  growing  dissatisfaction  at  both  the  mill  and 
the  quarries,  which  he  sweepingly  attributed  to  the 
unions  organized  the  previous  summer. 

"  I  suppose  I'll  be  losing  Bradley  when  his  con- 
tract is  out,  along  in  May  some  time,"  he  lamented, 
"  This  '  Hopeful '  mine  of  his  up  at  Ward  seems 
well  named,  and  quite  unlike  the  usual  gold  mine 
— '  a  hole  in  the  ground  owned  by  a  liar.'  He 
showed  me  his  assayers'  certificates.  A  fellow  that's 
struck  such  a  vein  as  that  doesn't  want  to  boss 
Swedes  and  Irish  any  longer  than  he's  made  to. 
Wonder  who's  the  silent  partner?  Some  Eastern 
capitalist,  I  imagine.  He  says  he's  sworn  to  secrecy. 
I've  half  a  notion  it's  DeLacy.  At  any  rate  he  tried 
to  buy  Bradley's  interest  last  season.  Say,  don't 
you  think  Bradley  had  the  nerve  to  tell  me  that 
he  had  asked  Paul  to  quit  Eldhurst  and  superintend 
the  '  Hopeful '  for  him  ?  If  I  have  to  lose  Ben  and 
Bradley  and  Paul  all  in  a  year's  time,  I'll  be  in  a 
pretty  tight  fix,  as  much  as  I  have  to  be  away.  Has 
Paul  said  anything  to  you  about  quitting?  " 

"  It  would  scarcely  be  like  him  to  speak  of  it  to 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  233 

any  one  else  before  speaking  to  you.  He  did  tell 
me  that  for  some  months  Nolan  has  been  urging 
him  to  read  law  with  him  in  Denver;  in  fact  Nolan 
himself  told  me  that,  and  asked  me  to  persuade  Paul 
to  take  up  law." 

"  And  spoil  a  good  foreman  to  make  a  two  by 
twice  lawyer.  But  that's  like  Nolan  with  his  log- 
cabin-to-White-House  notions.  He's  too  ultra 
democratic  by  odds.  And  I  suppose  he  has  long  ago 
convinced  the  fellow  that  he  has  the  making  in  him 
of  a  great  gentleman,  too  great  for  the  mere  man- 
agement of  these  estates." 

"  You  wrong  him  there ;  for  Paul  has  never  felt 
above  his  work.  On  the  contrary,  he  is  deeply  in- 
terested, keenly  alive  to  every  phase  of  it.  You  once 
laughingly  remarked  that  if  you  were  to  give  him 
unlimited  authority,  he  would  turn  Eldhurst  into 
an  experiment  station  rivaling  that  at  Collins.  Yet, 
for  all  your  ridicule,  his  '  administration '  has  seen 
fallow  fields  made  fruitful,  the  irrigation  system 
almost  doubled,  increased  output  of  hay,  fruit,  lum- 
ber, wood,  stone, — all  the  regular  products,  to  say 
nothing  of  his  oil  well,  at  which  you  first  scoffed. 
And  all  the  time  you  have  been  foot-free,  as  never 
before,  for  your  precious  politics.  He  has  accounted 
to  you  for  every  cent  of  the  great  sums  that  pass 
through  his  hands;  has  engaged  the  best  of  skilled 
labor;  has  gone  direct  to  dealers;  has  met  your 


234  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

business  associates,  carried  your  correspondences — 
in  truth,  he  has  lived  your  business  responsibilities 
for  you.  As  to  making  a  gentleman  of  him,  he  is 
already  that." 

"  Nonsense,  Edwin !  you  out-Nolan  Nolan.  Why, 
you  can't  take  raw  man-flesh  from  corral  or  quarry, 
caution  him  against  eating  with  his  knife  and  split- 
ting his  infinitives,  put  a  dress-suit  on  him  and  call 
him  a  gentleman.  Gentlemen  are  not  minted  from 
such  metal.  At  least  '  seven  or  eight  generations 
are  required  to  make  a  gentleman,'  and  even  then 
he  doesn't  always  feel  at  ease  in  his  dress-suit.  A 
gentleman  has  a  gentleman's  qualities,  his  own  by 
birth-right,  transmitted  unbroken  through  a  distinct, 
far-reaching  line :  good  blood,  high  notions,  fault- 
less taste,  pride  of  name  and  position.  He  is  a 
thoroughbred;  rises  to  occasions;  meets  emergen- 
cies more  than  half  way;  masters  situations;  and 
he  lives  game  and  dies  game." 

"  And  what  of  his  morals  ?  What  of  this  blue- 
blood  apostle's  creed?  " 

"  Oh,  as  to  that?  Well,  let  me  see.  He  is  chival- 
rous, generous,  discreet.  He  might  be  guilty  of 
cruelty,  but  never  of  a  discourtesy.  He  is  a  man  of 
honor,  as  those  things  go;  never  unfaithful  to  a 
friend;  he  never  lies,  except  for  some  woman's 
sake.  He  takes  the  sweets  of  life,  both  the  proffered 
and  the  forbidden,  and  pays  the  price  in  full  without 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  235 

whining.  Though  full  of  the  knowledge  of  both 
good  and  evil,  though  disillusionized  and  ennuye; 
whether  loving  or  losing,  suffering  or  sinning, 
through  all  and  above  all,  he  is  a  gentleman." 

His  brother-in-law  smiled  reflectively  over  the 
nodding  head  of  the  younger  Eldreth  and  on  up 
to  an  old  oil  of  a  stiff-ruffed  ancestral  Eldreth 
under  Charles  the  First,  a  stern-mouthed,  strong- 
willed  face,  whose  inquiring  gaze  seemed  fastened 
upon  the  group  below. 

"  I  am  persuaded  that  most  arguments  arise  from 
failure  to  define  terms  used.  But  should  we  stop 
the  more  carefully  to  define  '  gentleman '  from  the 
world's  viewpoint  and  from  heaven's  viewpoint,  I 
fear  our  argument  might  outlast  your  patience. 
Be  very  sure  of  this  though,  that  '  between  society's 
gentleman  and  God  Almighty's  gentleman  there  is 
a  gulf  of  folly  and  untruth  so  wide  and  so  deep  that 
the  one  could  not  cross  it  if  he  would ;  and  the  other 
would  not  if  he  could.'  About  Paul's  leaving  Eld- 
hurst,  I  have  always  taken  it  for  granted  that  he 
would  quit  when  the  contract  his  mother  made 
for  him  expires." 

"And  when  will  that  be?" 

"  He  is  twenty-one  in  March  some  time.  Paul 
was  born  just  three  days  before  Lilys  was,  you 
know." 

Eldreth  lifted  his  brows  to  indicate  that  he  had 
not  recollected,  then  fell  into  a  brown  study. 


236  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Better  give  me  ze  zhob  of  bossing  ze  quarries," 
muttered  Richard,  lurching  forward  almost  into  his 
plate. 

Helene  opened  the  dining-room  door,  closed  it 
after  her,  and  with  the  familiarity  of  half-equal, 
half-inferior,  said : 

"  Excuse  me,  Mr.  Eldreth,  but  the  girl  Hilma 
Andersen  is  out  back  and  she  wants  to  see  Richard. 
She  says  she  must  see  him,  and  I  can't  get  rid  of 
her." 

"  She  zhust  can't  see  me,"  objected  Richard, 
"  Busy,  tell  'er." 

"  I  did  tell  her  you  were  at  dinner,"  explained 
his  old  nurse,  advancing  to  his  chair,  "  but  she  won't 
go.  Better  come  for  just  a  minute,  Dickie,"  per- 
suasively, "  She's  awfully  anxious." 

"  Well.  I  zhust  won't,  though,"  persisted  the 
young  man,  clutching  the  table  edge  as  though  he 
feared  she  might  forcibly  remove  him  as  in  his 
boyhood  days,  "  Don't  receive  in  ze  kitchen.  Give 
'er  zhis,"  pulling  bills  from  sundry  pockets  and 
making  a  roll,  "  an'  tell  'er  to  go  'way." 

"  What  can  she  want,  Helene  ?  "  frowned  Eld- 
reth impatiently. 

"  I  don't  know,  sir.  She  is  crying,  and  says  she 
has  no  place  to  go." 

"  Well,  Eldhurst  isn't  a  home-for-the-friendless," 
he  exclaimed.  Then  turning  suddenly  upon  his  son, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  237 

he  asked  with  incisive  emphasis :  "  Has  this  girl 
any  claim  upon  you,  sir,  that  she  demands  your 
presence  at  any  time,  guests  or  no  guests  ?  " 

Richard  hung  his  head,  mumbling. 

His  father  stared  hard  at  him.  "  I  wish  to  God 
your  tastes  ran  a  little  higher  than  Swedish  kitchen 
girls!" 

Sober,  Richard  had  a  wholesome  and  restraining 
fear  of  his  stern  father;  but  being  beyond  that 
stage,  he  looked  up  and  remarked  insolently : 

"  Get  it  honestly,  don't  I  ?  How  about  that  little 
affair  of  yours  with  the  Maitland  woman?" 

The  master  of  Eldhurst  sprang  from  his  chair, 
and  took  one  threatening  stride  toward  his  son,  his 
face  livid. 

"  By  God !  you  shall  marry  your  drudge  for  that ; 
and  Miss  Howard  will  thank  me " 

Then  he  caught  the  gaze  his  brother-in-law  had 
fastened  upon  him.  He  sat  down  hastily,  a  crimson 
tide  creeping  slowly  over  the  fairness  of  his  face. 

"  Go  to  the  library,  Richard." 

The  young  man  arose,  half  sobered  by  his  father's 
manner. 

"What  shall  I  tell  Hilma?"  persisted  Helene, 
retreating  toward  the  door. 

Eldreth  threw  down  his  napkin  and  turned  ir- 
ritably. 

"  Lord  Almighty !  I  don't  care  what  you  tell  her. 
Give  her  the  money  and  more,  and  send  her  away." 


238  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

There  was  a  painful  pause.  Edwin  Allan  turned 
his  serene,  kindly  eyes  upon  the  housekeeper. 

"  Tell  her  to  go  down  to  the  Rectory  at  once 
and  wait,  and  that  I  will  follow  her  in  a  few  mo- 
ments." 

When  they  quitted  the  dining-room,  Eldreth  led 
the  way  to  the  library. 

"  Better  spend  the  remainded  of  the  day  here," 
he  was  saying  as  he  opened  the  library  door  and 
came  face  to  face  with  Lilys's  portrait  which  rested 
on  an  easel,  and  was  so  placed  that  the  light  brought 
out  all  the  rare  flesh  tints,  the  luminous  dark  eyes, 
the  coils  of  jetty  hair. 

"  Who — is — that  ?  "  he  gasped,  nearly  falling  into 
the  Rector's  arms.  Then  recovering  himself,  '  Why, 
what  a  fool  I  am,  Edwin.  It's  my  own  girl,  and 
she's  sent  it  for  Christmas." 

"  No,  Pierce,"  said  Allan  after  they  had  stood  in 
long  admiration  before  the  fine  likeness,  "  I  should 
have  had  to  go  anyway.  You  know  we  have  spec- 
ial services  tonight.  I  wish  she  were  here  for  the 
music.  Ah  .  .  .  could  I  see  you  outside  for  half 
a  minute,  Richard,  before  I  go?" 

"  No  sir,  you  zhust  can't,"  declared  that  young 
gentleman  crossly.  "Don't  like  lectures;  get 
enough  from  Nina.  Going  to  shleep,"  and  he 
huddled  down  upon  a  divan  and  began  pulling  aim- 
lessly at  the  cushions. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  239 

Long  after  the  door  had  closed  upon  his  brother- 
in-law,  Pierce  Eldreth  stood  before  the  easel,  glanc- 
ing meditatively  from  the  portrait  to  the  face  of 
the  sleeper  among  the  cushions,  and  then  back  to 
the  portrait  once  more. 


The  Rector  paused  once  in  his  descent  toward 
his  home  and,  first  glancing  cautiously  around  him, 
drew  from  the  depths  of  an  inner  pocket  an  old- 
fashioned  miniature  in  a  worn  case,  opened  it  and 
studied  the  face — a  dark  oval  face,  with  full  Cupid's 
bow  mouth  and  coils  of  jetty  hair. 

"  It  is  singular,"  he  murmured,  replacing  the 
miniature  and  walking  slowly  on,  "  very  singular." 


240  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

OUT  OF  THE  PAST. 

ABOUT  the  first  of  March  there  came  a  letter  for 
Paul,  postmarked  Boston.  Marah  received  it  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill,  and  after  William  had  passed  on 
with  the  Quarry  Town  mail,  she  stood  smilingly 
studying  the  superscription. 

Marah  had  failed  rapidly  during  the  past  six 
months.  Her  cough  was  deeper  and  more  violent, 
and  into  her  large  eyes  there  frequently  crept  a 
strange,  wild  light  that  troubled  Paul  greatly.  In 
vain  he  entreated  her  to  follow  the  physician's  ad- 
vice and  prescriptions.  She  was  not  afraid  to  die, 
she  declared.  When  her  work  was  done,  she  would 
go.  Life  did  not  hold  so  many  joys  that  she  should 
cling  to  it.  In  vain  he  pleaded  with  her  to  quit  her 
work  of  nursing  and  allow  him  to  situate  her  more 
comfortably  than  he  could  there  in  the  little  cabin 
on  the  hillside.  He  told  her  confidentially  of  his 
half  interest  in  the  Hopeful;  assured  her  that  his 
father's  obligation  to  Mr.  Eldreth  had  long  since 
been  discharged,  with  the  interest,  and  that  she 
could  live  in  Ward  or  in  Boulder,  with  good  help 
and  even  some  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  241 

But  she  informed  him  coldly  that  she  had  no  de- 
sire to  live  above  her  station  in  life;  that  they  were 
of  the  working  class;  that  she  intended  to  work  to 
the  last  and  to  die  in  their  cabin,  as  he  was  pleased 
to  call  it.  The  lower  class,  she  said,  never  gain 
by  trying  to  ape  the  higher;  blood  will  always  tell. 

So  he  had  to  content  himself  with  adding  grad- 
ually, even  stealthily,  to  her  comforts;  with  hiring 
a  Swedish  girl  to  do  the  work  and  to  be  company 
for  her  when  he  should  go  from  Eldhurst  (soon 
now,  he  promised  himself)  and  with  sending  the 
physician  on  frequent,  if  useless,  visits  to  their 
home. 

While  Marah  stood,  that  March  afternoon,  study- 
ing the  superscription  of  her  son's  letter,  she  glanced 
up  at  the  sound  of  approaching  wheels.  It  was 
Pierce  Eldreth  driving  his  high-checked  roadster, 
Brownie.  He  came  rapidly,  but  as  the  woman  stood 
squarely  in  the  road,  he  was  compelled  to  pull  down 
to  a  stand-still. 

Though  these  two  had  lived  all  these  years  within 
a  stone's  throw  of  each  other  and  though  they 
occasionally  encountered  one  another,  yet  they  had 
exchanged  no  word  since  Marah  left  her  ten-year- 
old  boy  up  at  the  House,  and  today  was  Paul's 
twenty-first  birthday. 

As  the  buggy  stopped,  she  came  round  to  the 
side  of  it  and  lifted  her  eyes  to  the  occupant,  eyes 


242  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

deep  with  the  memory  and  the  misery  of  the  almost 
quarter-century  since  first  his  shadow  had  fallen 
upon  her. 

His  own  eyes  were  held  by  the  fascination  of 
hers  for  the  moment,  then  they  wandered  over  the 
yet  sumptuous  form,  over  the  yet  beautiful  face, 
with  its  crown  of  midnight  hair.  For  she  was  but 
little  over  forty,  and,  given  a  happy  life,  would  now 
have  been  at  the  zenith  of  her  woman's  charms. 
Over  this  man  she  had  once  held  the  power  of  great 
physical  beauty  and  feminine  magnetism  over  a 
thoroughly  masculine,  strongly  susceptible,  nature; 
and  now,  for  the  one  moment,  she  was  all  she  had 
ever  been  to  him.  Again  he  saw  the  innocent  eyes, 
the  tempting  mouth,  the  bare  gleaming  arms ;  again 
he  heard  her  matchless  voice  as  she  had  sung  "  Nay, 
Kiss  Me  No  More ! "  a  half-conscious  protest 
against  the  insistence  of  his  love,  that  night  in  June, 
the  night  that  saw  their  love  complete;  again  he 
felt  the  sweet  wild  thrill  of  a  first  passion  wakening 
to  riotous  life.  His  stern  face  softened,  his  eyes 
grew  misty,  and  there  vibrated  a  tender,  half-for- 
gotten tone  as  he  spoke  her  name : 

"  Marah!" 

Her  eyes  did  not  once  leave  his  face  and  a  half- 
responsive  smile  hovered  round  her  lips  as  she  drew 
nearer. 

The  fretful  thoroughbred  tossed  her  head  nerv- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  243 

ously,  and  the  strong  pull  upon  his  wrists  brought 
the  man  back  to  present  realities.  Before  him  he 
saw  the  woman  whose  betrayal  of  their  relations 
had  all  but  cost  him  his  wife ;  the  woman  who  after 
having  enjoyed  his  love  and  all  that  went  with  his 
favor,  after  the  betrayal  which  he  might  have  for- 
given, instead  of  holding  herself  sacred  that  she 
might  still  have  been  his  (for  is  not  marriage  purely 
incidental?)  had  thrown  herself  into  the  arms  of 
his  lowest  menial,  a  social  outcast,  a  self-confessed 
fugitive  from  justice;  had  given  to  this  Mexican 
peon  the  perfect  form  that  he,  the  master  of  Eld- 
hurst,  had  fondled,  the  form  that  had  borne  his 
child,  an  Eldreth! 

His  eyes  flamed  with  the  memory  of  his  wrongs, 
his  wounded  pride,  his  baffled  passion.  Instantly 
she  was  conscious  of  the  change,  and  intuitively  read 
his  thoughts.  If  he  had  wrongs,  what  of  her? 
Her  eyes  blazed  suddenly  with  the  wild,  strange 
fire  that  now  of  late  burned  in  them  so  frequently. 

"  Is  the  debt  all  paid  and  the  interest?  "  she  cried, 
coming  still  nearer,  "  Does  Marah  Maitland  owe 
Pierce  Eldreth  anything?  If  so,  take  this." 

She  handed  up  the  letter,  scanning  his  quivering 
face  while  he  read  the  address  in  Lilys's  unmistak- 
able handwriting. 

"  From  Edith  Allan's  daughter  to  Marah  Mait- 
land's  son,"  she  exulted,  "  But  it  must  be  the  Eld- 


244  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

reth  blood,  for  the  Eldreths  will  stoop  in  their 
loves;  and  blood  will  tell." 

There  was  more  than  exultation  in  her  low  chuck- 
ling laugh,  as  she  watched  him  wrap  the  reins 
around  his  wrist,  deliberately  strip  the  letter  into 
ribbons  and  give  it  to  the  wind. 

"  It  has  gone  too  far,  Pierce  Eldreth,  for  such 
a  remedy.  You  should  have  seen  what  I  saw  just 
before  she  went  away.  No,  he  does  not  go  to  the 
House,  does  not  need  to.  Mohammed  usually  goes 
to  the  hill.  He  has  a  room  of  his  own  up  there 
in  his  father's  cabin.  Oh,  you  shall  see  when  she 
gets  home — that  is,  if  he  is  not  tired  of  her.  For 
this  moment  she  would  exchange  her  soul  for  one 
kiss  of  his — my  son.  Say,  is  the  debt  paid  ?  " 

The  light  of  a  demon  joy  glittered  in  her  splendid 
eyes.  She  sprang  recklessly  to  the  side  of  the  buggy, 
spreading  her  arms  with  a  dare  in  her  gesture,  an 
open  challenge  in  her  face.  For  in  his  blind,  speech- 
less wrath,  he  had  snatched  the  whip  from  its  hol- 
ster and  was  holding  it  menacingly  high  above  his 
head. 

Not  for  the  space  of  a  breath  did  she  remove  her 
malignant  gaze  from  his  livid,  working  face.  His 
own  eyes  wavered,  and  when  the  whip  descended 
it  came  down  along  the  back  of  the  terrified  horse 
that  sprang  forward,  plunging  and  snorting  and  all 
but  uncontrollable. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  245 

Her  mocking  laugh  followed  him ;  then  as  the 
animal  came  under  control  further  below,  she 
climbed  the  hill  a  few  steps,  turned  back,  stopped. 
And  out  upon  the  still  evening  air  there  crept  a  tide 
of  wonderful  melody  that  insinuated  itself  into  the 
very  souls  of  the  listeners.  Rapture,  ecstacy,  pas- 
sion, despair,  contended  for  mastery  in  the  outflow : 

Nay,  kiss  me  no  more.     Through  this  half-waking  sleep, 

I  sense  far  below  us  a  dangerous  deep 

The  blind  will  stop  short  on  the  verge  of  a  steep. 

The  impulse  that  urges  the  torrent's  wide  swing, 
The  ruin  and  rage  that  the  cataracts  bring 
Lie  back  in  the  leap  at  the  heart  of  a  spring. 

The  spirit  that  lashes  the  maelstorm's  mad  swirl. 
That  crushes  and  wrecks  in  its  pitiless  whirl, 
Was  born  of  the  foam  that  the  playful  winds  hurl. 

Oh,  the  pause  of  a  soul  at  the  yawning  abyss  ! 

Oh,  the  wild  surge  of  passion,  the  anguish,  the  bliss  ! 

Oh,  the  throb  and  the  thrill  of  thy  maddening  kiss  ! 

The  home-going  workmen  paused  and  looked  at 
one  another.  "  The  Senora  Pajara,"  they  said. 

The  master  of  Eldhurst  set  his  teeth  hard  upon 
a  passionate  oath  and  drove  on,  never  once  looking 
back. 

And  Edwin  Allan  in  his  study  lifted  his  eyes  from 
a  half-finished  sermon,  drew  a  quick  breath  and 
unconsciously  laid  a  hand  over  the  miniature  in  his 
inner  breast-pocket. 


246  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DISMISSAL. 

ELDRETH  fastened  his  quivering  horse  at  the 
Rectory  gate  and  found  his  brother-in-law  alone  in 
the  study. 

"  Edwin,"  he  began  abruptly,  flinging  down  into 
a  deep  chair,  "  you  enjoy  Lilys's  full  confidence, 
do  you  not?  " 

"  I  believe  I  do,  Pierce.  She  has  had  but  few 
thoughts  and  feelings  she  has  not  brought  to  me. 
I  have  done  my  best  in  part  to  take  Edith's  place 
with  the  poor,  motherless  girl." 

"  So  I  thought.  Now,  I'm  going  to  ask  you  a 
question,  and  I  want  the  truth,  whatever  it  brings. 
I  mean  I  don't  want  you  to  spare  my  feelings  in  the 
matter.  Did  she  ever  hint  to  you  that  she  was  in 
love?  Was  there  ever  a  moment  when  you  sus- 
pected that  she  loved  except  as  a  daughter,  a  sister 
and  a  niece?  " 

"  Never,"  replied  the  Rector  promptly.  He  was 
answering  what  had  been  asked  him,  truthfully,  ac- 
cording to  his  knowledge.  Why  should  he  betray 
Paul's  miserable  secret,  since  Lilys  had  never  given, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  247 

would  never  give  the  boy  a  second  thought?  Paul 
would  never  betray  himself,  so  Allan  would  prob- 
ably never  have  to  make  known  the  suspicion  that 
of  late  years  was  strengthening  in  his  disturbed 
mind.  "  Never,"  he  reiterated,  "  She  is  still  a  child 
in  thought  and  in  action.  I  should  think  you  could 
tell  that.  As  Richard  says,  if  she  loves  anything  it 
must  be  Bonita  or  the  hounds.  She  told  Nina  only 
the  week  before  she  left  for  Boston  that  she  ex- 
pected to  devote  several  years  to  music  and  to  stud- 
ies as  outlined  by  Howard  and  myself;  and  when 
we  saw  her  off  at  the  train  and  Nina  laughingly 
reminded  her  that  she  was  pledged  to  return  heart- 
whole,  she  said,  what  I  believe  to  be  truth,  that  she 
was  leaving  her  heart  here  at  Eldhurst.  You  know 
she  went  with  great  reluctance.  But  why  did  you 
ask?" 

Pierce  Eldreth  drew  a  long  sigh  of  relief.  "  She 
is  crazy,  stark  mad,"  he  commented  inwardly. 
Aloud  he  said :  "  Oh,  DeLacy  asked  me  if  he  might 
escort  her  some  this  winter  past  and  I  said  yes, 
under  his  aunt's  chaperonage.  I  wondered  if  Lilys 
had  ever  expressed  her  sentiments  for  him  to  you." 

"  No.  I  wish  she  had.  I  should  have  done  all 
in  my  power  to  turn  her  thoughts  from  such  a 
man." 

"Why,  what's  the  matter  with  DeLacy?" 

'  You  certainly  can  not  be  ignorant  of  his  and 


248  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Richard's  shameless  goings-on  all  last  summer,  now 
in  Boulder  and  again  in  Denver.  I  suppose  but  for 
Nina's  and  Lilys's  presence,  they  would  have 
brought  those  Whitney  women  right  here  to  Eld- 
hurst.  They  did  take  them  round  and  on  up  to 
Estes." 

"  Oh,  that?  "  laughed  his  brother-in-law,  looking 
relieved,  "  I  thought  from  the  way  you  spoke  he  had 
robbed  a  bank  or  held  up  a  train.  You  can't  judge 
a  man  by  a  lot  of  floating  gossip.  Why,  he's  of  the 
best  blood  of  a  fine  old  French  family,  heir  of  both 
the  Scotts  and  the  DeLacys.  He  could  buy  and  sell 
Eldhurst  with  his  pin-money." 

The  Rector  sighed,  but  refrained  from  comment. 

There  came  a  knock  at  the  study  door;  it  opened, 
but  closed  again  from  without. 

"  Come  in,  Paul,"  called  Allan,  "  Was  there  some- 
thing?" 

"  No  sir,  only  to  bring  the  review  I  mentioned. 
My  business  was  with  Mr.  Eldreth.  Sarah  thought 
him  alone.  I  beg  your  pardon." 

"  I  shall  be  pleased  to  withdraw,"  said  the  Rector 
rising. 

"  Do  not,  I  beg  you.  It  is  nothing  you  may  not 
hear — with  Mr.  Eldreth's  permission." 

"  Be  brief!  "  scowled  his  employer. 

"  I  wish  to  be  released  from  my  place  with  you," 
said  the  young  man  with  simple  directness,  "  I  am 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  249 

now  twenty-one,  and  I  believe  the  old  obligation  of 
my  father  is  discharged,  the  debt  all  paid  and  the 
interest" 

Eldreth  bit  his  lip.  "  The  debt  all  paid  and  the 
interest  " — they  were  the  woman's  very  words.  He 
looked  annoyed,  troubled;  but  he  controlled  him- 
self. 

"  The  busy  season  will  soon  be  upon  us,"  he  re- 
marked, rolling  his  cigar  in  his  fingers  and  regard- 
ing it  thoughtfully,  "  Bradley  is  going  to  quit  in 
May  and  go  up  to  his  mine  at  Ward.  I'm  afraid 
Ben  will  never  be  fit  for  supervising  again.  You 
have  been  acting  foreman  for  more  than  a  year  now, 
with  fair  results.  Let  me  make  you  so  in  fact. 
The  pay,  you  know " 

The  young  man  shook  his  head.  "  I  thank  you 
for  the  honor,  but  I  have  other  means  of  support, 
other  plans." 

"  Very  well,  sir,  very  well,"  cut  in  the  other's  icy 
tones,  "  No  need  to  beg  for  common  laborers  in 
these  days  of  road-walkers  and  tramps." 

Paul  winced,  but  he  said  dispassionately :  "  I  had 
no  thought  of  asking  to  be  released  under  thirty 
days." 

"  You  are  at  liberty  to-day,  sir, — now." 

His  companion  bowed.  "  Thank  you,"  he  said 
with  exasperating  calmness. 

"  Do  I  owe  you  anything?  " 


250  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Nothing." 

He  opened  the  door  but  turned  back  to  say: 
"  The  books  are  in  shape  to  date.  The  last  mail 
brought  those  blanks  we've  waited  for  so  long." 
(He  used  the  plural  unconsciously)  "and  I  notice 
in  this  morning's  paper  that  bids  are  open  for  the 
Springs  and  the  Greeley  paving.  Bradley  is  above 
his  average  for  the  corresponding  month  last  year, 
and  feels  sure  he  can  handle  either  or  both  with  his 
present  force." 

"  He'll  handle  them  without  his  present  force. 
We've  got  to  cut  down  somewhere." 

Paul  looked  surprised,  but  forebore  comment. 
"  Webb's  last  report  is  the  only  one  unchecked. 
You  will  find  it  in  the  upper  left  hand  drawer.  To- 
day's mail  has  been  answered  and  both  places  gone 
over.  Wagner's  wife  is  ill  and  I  have  been  taking 
his  place;  but  Sam  can  do  that  quite  as  well.  I  am 
at  your  service  for  some  days  if  I  can  assist  your 
new  foreman.  Here  are  the  keys." 

"  There'll  be  no  need  to  detain  you,"  observed 
Eldreth  shortly  as  he  pocketed  the  bunch  of  keys. 

A  vague  smile  touched  Paul's  firm  lips.  "  Good 
evening,"  he  said,  "  Good  evening,  Mr.  Allan." 

The  Rector's  amused  glance  had  traveled  from 
the  face  of  employer  to  that  of  man  during  the  in- 
terview, and  he  but  ill-concealed  a  smile  at  his 
brother-in-law's  discomfiture.  They  silently  watched 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  251 

the  erect  figure  down  the  hall,  the  coarse,  homely 
clothes  forgotten  in  the  easy  dignity  of  the  carriage. 
Paul  always  bore  his  fair  head  as  though  it  wore  a 
crown  instead  of  a  hat. 

"  Were  you  wise  in  declining  his  offer  to  remain 
the  thirty  days  to  help  fit  the  new  man?  " 

"  It  is  always  wise  to  give  your  men  to  under- 
stand that  your  business  can  run  on  without  them," 
replied  Eldreth  crossly,  "  They  get  exaggerated  no- 
tions sometimes  of  their  own  importance.  They 
may  as  well  learn  first  as  last  that  Eldhurst  depends 
upon  no  one  of  them.  I  fancy  the  sun  will  rise 
tomorrow  all  right." 

"  Whom  have  you  in  mind  for  Paul's  place,  if  I 
may  ask  ?  " 

The  other  laughed.  "  I  wouldn't  have  him  hear 
me  say  it,  but  I'm  hanged  if  I  know.  Webb  knows 
nothing  but  lumber;  Max  was  raised  at  the  sheep- 
corrals;  Garia  is  bright  enough,  but  flightly,  unre- 
liable, and  William  drinks.  Guess  I'll  have  to  be 
my  own  foreman  for  a  while." 

"  I  do  not  envy  you.  It  certainly  requires  every 
moment  and  all  the  energy  of  a  wide-awake,  faith- 
ful, decisive  man,  one  who  is  strong  enough  and  tact- 
ful enough  to  handle  men.  All  of  these  qualities 
Paul  possesses  in  the  superlative,  some  of  which,  I 
pride  myself,  I  have  helped  to  develop.  I  think 
you  know  my  great  love  for  the  lad,  Pierce.  He 


252  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

has,  what  I  wish  more  young  men  could  boast: 
gentleness,  with  force  of  character;  the  God-like 
gift  of  self-control ;  a  clean  and  wholesome  heart, 
the  promptings  of  which  never  dyed  a  woman's 
cheek  with  shame;  a  higher  regard  for  his  spoken 
word  than  most  men  have  for  their  written  promises. 
As  I  heard  one  of  the  Swedes  put  it '  If  he  promises, 
it's  done  already  right  away.'  Even  while  a  mere 
boy  he  chose  the  right,  the  kindly,  the  manly  thing 
to  do — instinctively,  it  would  seem.  I,  his  teacher, 
know  him  as  not  even  his  mother  knows  him;  and 
I  have  always  regretted  your  prejudice  against 
him." 

"  Well,  you  wouldn't  expect  me  to  fall  into  his 
arms,  everything  considered,  would  you  ?  " 

"  The  fault  is  not  his." 

Eldreth  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  picking  up  a 
magazine,  ran  his  eye  over  the  table  of  contents. 

"  Ah,"  he  exclaimed,  "  here's  that  man  Marsden 
again,  I  see,  in  an  article,  '  The  Right  Divine  to 
Govern  Wrong.'  Nolan  called  my  attention  the 
other  day  to  a  contribution  of  his  in  Irrigation  Age. 
In  the  article  he  asserts  (what  is  true,  when  you 
think)  that  there  is  practically  no  relation  between 
the  laws  regulating  water  supply  and  the  actual  prac- 
tice of  irrigators,  and  that  it  follows  that  the  laws 
fail  of  their  objects — the  economical  use  and  the 
systematic  use  of  the  supply  at  command.  He  gives 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  253 

figures  in  proof  from  existing  canal  contracts,  fig- 
ures which  bring  to  light  more  inconsistencies  and 
absurdities  in  our  state  laws  and  in  our  contracts 
than  I  ever  thought  could  exist.  He  closes  by  say- 
ing that  the  magnitude  and  importance  of  the  water- 
supply  question  in  the  development  of  the  West,  so- 
cial and  industrial,  as  well  as  material,  are  very  much 
underestimated;  points  to  the  fact  that  the  waters 
are  of  far  greater  value  than  the  land,  and  that  their 
distribution  and  the  laws  governing  the  same  will 
prove  more  potent  factors  than  are  dreamed  in  the 
furtherment  or  hindrance  of  the  up-building  of  the 
West.  He  knows  Colorado  from  soil  to  sky,  and 
water-rights  by  heart.  I  wish  we  could  get  such  a 
man  to  address  the  association  once  in  awhile.  He 
is  well-informed  and  practical ;  writes  like  a  Western 
man." 

"  I  do  not  know  if  he  could  be  persuaded.  He  is 
a  modest  man,  as  well  as  a  busy  one." 

"You  know  him?" 

"  Quite  well,"  smiled  the  Rector,  "  '  Allan  Mars- 
den  '  is  only  a  pen-name." 

Something  in  the  tone  made  his  companion  look 
up  quickly.  "  Not  Nolan  himself?" 

"  No." 

"Not  Howard?" 

"  Guess  again." 

"  It  might  be  yourself,   if  you  were  not  more 


254  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

interested  along  other  lines.  There's  not  another 
hereabouts  could  do  it." 

"  Not  I.  Evidently  you  are  unacquainted  with 
Eldhurst's  own  people,  brother;  you  are  absent  too 
much.  You  have  just  dismissed  '  Allan  Marsden  ' 
from  your  service." 

Eldreth  fell  back  in  his  chair.  "  Not  Manuel 
Menendez's  son !  *' 

"  Even  so ;  but  obviously  not  his  father's  son. 
His  mother's  ?  "  ventured  the  Rector. 

"  Pshaw !  "  growled  his  companion,  "  he  doesn't 
resemble  her  even  in  looks.  Where  does  he  get  his 
fair  hair  and  eyes?  " 

"  You  can  best  answer  that,  and  say  also  where 
he  gets  his  bearing,  his  intellect,  his  self-poise." 

Eldreth  whirled  in  his  chair.  "  What  do  you 
mean  by  that,  Edwin  Allan  ?  " 

"  Listen.  I  overheard  two  workmen  as  Paul  was 
passing  through  the  quarries  not  long  since.  '  A 
Menendez  ? '  laughed  one,  '  oh  yes,  of  course.  A 
blue-eyed,  white-skinned  Mexican,  sure.  Manuel 
Menendez  had  a  whole  lot  to  do  with  that  hair  and 
that  walk  of  his.  She  must  think  we're  all  fools. 
I  know  this — '  And  the  end  I  did  not  hear,  though 
it's  not  hard  to  surmise.  Then  the  other  said: 
'  Now  I  know  whom  he  looks  like — I've  just  figured 
it  out.  Why,  that  big  picture  in  the  chapel,  of  the 
fine  lady — what's  her  name? — you  know,  the  one 
who  had  the  church  built.'  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  255 

Pierce  Eldreth  leaped  to  his  feet,  his  chair  going 
over  backward.  "  Good  Lord !  My  Mother !  "  he 
gasped,  "  Does  any  one  think  ?  " —  He  broke  off, 
walked  away,  but  came  back,  stopping  squarely  in 
front  of  his  brother-in-law.  "  Well,  you  don't 
think  it?" 

The  Rector  lifted  his  mild  eyes  steadily.  "  You 
certainly  must  give  me  credit  for  being  as  penetrat- 
ing as  the  quarrymen  and  the  sheep-herders,  know- 
ing all  that  I  know.  Why,  it  was  only  last  Sunday 
that  I  heard  a  couple  of  shepherds  from  the  Lower 
Ranch  commenting  upon  the  resemblance  between 
Richard  and  Paul.  The  carriage  was  full  of  your 
guests,  and  the  two  sat  on  the  driver's  seat  to- 
gether. And  look  at  them  yourself.  For  all  the 
one  is  so  dark,  the  other  so  fair,  there  is  the  same 
contour  of  face,  the  same  straight  brows,  the  same 
delicacy  of  feature,  the  same  build  of  body,  though 
not  the  same  walk.  Paul  does  not  bear  the  faintest 
resemblance  to  his  mother;  you,  yourself,  say  so. 
Nor  does  Richard.  Yet  these  two,  though  unlike 
their  common  mother,  resemble  each  other.  Again, 
is  Paul  in  the  slightest  like  his  father?  Menendez 
slouched ;  Paul  walks  with  a  quick,  clean  step :  the 
one  was  cringing,  tricky,  all  down-hill,  so  to  say; 
the  other  is  courageous,  his  every  tendency  upward : 
the  one  never  opened  his  lips  save  for  blasphemy  or 
some  foul  story ;  the  other  speaks  becomingly  of  holy 


256  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

things,  and  I  question  if  he  ever  so  much  as  thought 
evil.  I  tell  you,  if  this  boy  is  the  son  of  Manuel 
Menendez,  he  is  a  living  contradiction  of  all  the 
established  laws  of  heredity.  His  father  a  peon? 
There  is  not  the  hint  of  servility  in  the  son's  make- 
up. His  father,  that  incarnation  of  passion  un- 
curbed? Paul  never  in  all  his  young  manhood  be- 
trayed the  shadow  of  an  unworthy  instinct.  Ask 
Ruth  Bradley,  or  any  other  girl  he  has  ever  shown 
attention.  Ask  Lilys,  whom  he  has  served  inti- 
mately from  childhood.  Watch  him  in  the  pres- 
ence of  women,  and  you  will  observe  much  of  the 
old-time  gentleness  and  chivalry  in  his  bearing  to- 
ward the  other  sex.  No,  somewhere  not  far  back, 
on  one  side  or  the  other,  '  his  tribe  were  God  Al- 
mighty's gentlemen.'  Mark  me :  there  is  not  a 
drop  of  that  Mexican's  blood  in  Paul  Maitland's 
veins;  he  is  no  more  the  son  of  Manuel  Menendez 
than  I  am." 

His  brother-in-law  had  stood  during  this  speech, 
his  cheeks  paling,  his  eyes  staring  blankly.  Now  he 
took  another  stride  or  two,  but  came  back  to  say 
hotly : 

"  I  don't  care  a  damn  what  the  hired  hands  think. 
What  I  see  fit  to  do  is  quite  my  own  business.  But 
you  were  her  brother,  and,  by  God !  you've  got  to 
believe  me.  What  do  you  take  me  for,  anyhow? 
Do  you  imagine  that  woman  was  anything  to  me 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  257 

after  she  gave  herself  to  that  mongrel?  Is  that  my 
style?  Would  that  be  like  me,  even  if  I  hadn't 
married  the  very  day  after  she  threw  herself  at  him? 
Why,  look  you :  this  son  of  hers  is  twenty-one,  only 
twenty-one — and  it  couldn't  be,  I  tell  you,  it  couldn't 
be.  I  know  that  you  haven't  a  very  exalted  opinion 
of  my  morals,  and  that  we  never  could  look  at 
things  from  the  same  view-point ;  but  I  swear  to  you, 
Edwin  Allan,  on  my  honor  as  an  Eldreth,  that  for 
the  less  than  year  your  sister  lived  to  bless  my  home, 
I  was  true  to  her,  no  man  was  ever  truer — however 
I  lived  before,  or  have  lived  since.  A  man  might  so 
wound  another  woman,  but  Edith  Allan — never !  " 


258  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE   WOMAN   WHO   LISTENS. 

WHAT  whim  of  fate  was  it  that  ordered  the  torn 
fragments  of  Lilys's  letter  to  be  found  by  Ruth 
Bradley? 

She  sat  down  by  the  roadside  and  pieced  the 
sheets  together,  strip  by  strip.  It  was  a  long  letter. 
Much  of  it  she  did  not  understand,  for  most  of  it 
had  reference  to  a  conversation  of  theirs  about  the 
mission  school  and  work  in  general  among  the 
poor ;  and  mention  was  made  of  the  writer's  change 
of  views  on  the  questions  discussed  on  their  ride  to 
the  saw-mill.  She  frankly  confessed  that  his  side 
was  the  right  side,  and  assured  him  that  her 
most  pleasant  anticipation  in  her  return  to  Eld- 
hurst,  June  first,  lay  in  the  fact  that  she  in- 
tended to  undertake  the  school  and  mission  work 
with  him  and  her  Uncle  and  Nina,  to  cease  her 
frivolous,  aimless  life  and  try  to  deserve  the  respect 
and  gratitude  of  those  dependent  upon  them.  So 
would  they  take  up  the  old  happy  life  in  three 
months  more;  only  she  would  endeavor  to  be  less 
selfish,  that  she  might  be  worthy  to  work  beside  him. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  259 

She  closed  by  begging  him  not  to  leave  Eldhurst 
on  his  twenty-first  birthday,  as  she  had  learned  was 
his  intention,  but  to  wait  till  she  came  and  they 
would  talk  it  over  with  her  uncle. 

Ruth  put  the  fragments  of  the  letter  carefully  into 
her  bosom,  with  a  guilty  little  glance  round  and  an- 
other up  toward  Marah's  cottage.  Then  she  pon- 
dered. If  Paul  had  received  that  letter,  it  would  not 
now  be  lying  torn  by  the  roadside.  Of  that  she  was 
certain.  If  he  should  yet  read  it,  he  would  recon- 
sider quitting  Eldhurst.  Of  that  too  she  was  cer- 
tain. And  if  he  remained,  instead  of  going  to 
Ward,  what  of  her,  Ruth?  She  knew  why  he 
flushed  and  grew  reticent  whenever  Lilys  Eldreth's 
name  was  mentioned;  and  she  could  read  between 
the  lines  of  this  letter  the  writer's  profound  respect, 
her  high  regard,  her  deference  to  his  opinion. 

If  she  gave  Paul  the  letter,  which  evidently  some 
one  had  read  and  destroyed  (the  Boss?),  he  would 
change  his  mind  about  affairs  of  the  House  being 
none  of  his  affairs.  He  might  lift  his  eyes  even  to 
the  only  daughter  of  the  House.  Of  course  the 
Boss  would  never  hear  to  that,  even  though  Paul 
knew  as  much  and  was  as  good-looking  as  Mr. 
Richard  himself. 

So,  she  would  save  Paul  heart-aches  and  trouble 
if  she  kept  the  letter  from  him.  Of  course 
she  ought  to  give  him  his  own,  or  at  least  ask  him 


260  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

about  it.  The  Rector  would  tell  her  so;  Paul 
would  tell  her  so;  her  own  heart  told  her  so.  But 
once  he  read  it  he  would  never,  never  look  at  her 
again ;  and  now  Miss  Eldreth  had  been  gone  so  long 
and  he  had  not  to  come  at  her  beck  and  call,  he  was 
beginning  to  come  to  the  Bradley  cottage  oftener. 
Again :  If  there  were  no  misunderstanding  be- 
tween the  two,  Miss  Eldreth  would  return  and  join 
Paul  in  the  school  work,  and  then  ?  Oh,  she  knew, 
she  "  felt  "  just  what  would  happen,  in  spite  of  the 
Boss,  or  any  one  else.  And  what  right  had  Miss 
Eldreth,  who  had  everything,  to  come  down  and 
take  working  girls'  young  men  away  from  them? 
How  would  it  seem  to  live  as  she  lived  up  there  at 
the  House — nothing  to  do  from  morning  till  night, 
no  meals  to  get,  no  dishes,  no  washing  and  ironing; 
to  have  just  everything  to  wear,  rich  furs,  big  hats 
with  real  plumes,  gloves  for  every  suit,  and  slippers 
and  riding-boots  and  Oxfords,  besides  shoes,  and 
such  jewelry,  rings  that  flashed  and  sparkled,  and  a 
watch;  no  mending  nor  making  over  last  year's 
styles;  anything  she  wanted  to  eat  and  some  one  to 
cook  it  for  her;  to  sleep  as  late  as  she  wished,  to 
give  orders  and  ride  and  play  tennis  and  sing  in  the 
choir  and  have  a  houseful  of  company  every  season 
and  scores  of  friends  and  beaux — that  rich  Boston 
man  and  Fred  Nolan  and  Harry  Wentworth — what 
else  did  she  want?  Didn't  she  act  now  as  though 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  261 

she  owned  the  earth?  Didn't  she  look  down  on 
every  body  who  had  to  work?  Once  when  she, 
Ruth,  had  helped  Helene  at  Mr.  Richard's  birthday 
party,  just  as  an  accommodation,  hadn't  Miss  Eld- 
reth  ignored,  snubbed  her,  as  though  she  had  been 
a  common  servant  like  Lena? 

The  girl's  eyes  flashed  resentfully  at  memory  of 
the  slight.  Oh,  she  knew  a  way  forever  to  "  fix 
things  "  between  Paul  and  the  Boss's  daughter.  She 
hesitated  about  going  quite  that  far,  but  .... 
Well,  she'd  keep  the  letter  awhile  yet;  she  would 
"  see  about  it." 

She  ascended  to  Marah's  cottage  where  she  had 
seen  Paul  go  an  hour  before  from  the  Rectory.  She 
had  not  talked  with  him  for  some  time.  He  had 
been  to  the  quarries,  but  was  always  so  busy  with 
her  father,  or  else  Tony  was  down  from  the  mill. 

She  found  the  door  ajar  and  no  one  in,  though 
she  thought  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  some  one  lying 
on  the  bed  in  Paul's  room.  She  hummed  softly  a 
bit  of  an  Irish  love  song,  took  off  her  hat  before  the 
sitting-room  glass  and  inspected  in  turn  her  hair,  her 
cheeks,  her  lips  and  her  brows.  She  was  trying  to 
admire  her  long  lashes  through  half  closed  eyes, 
when  some  one  entered  from  behind.  There  was  a 
low  musical  laugh,  and  before  she  could  turn,  some 
one  clasped  her  eyes  with  one  hand,  her  waist  with 
the  other  and  kissed  her  full  on  the  mouth. 


262  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Paul !  "  she  stammered,  crimsoning  and  making 
a  half-hearted  effort  to  disengage  herself. 

"  No,  not  Paul,  either,"  cried  a  mocking  voice. 

Springing  away,  she  turned  and  faced — Richard 
Eldreth,  whom  she  had  not  seen  these  two  months. 
(For  reasons  of  his  own,  that  young  gentleman  had 
seen  fit  to  absent  himself  from  Eldhurst  immed- 
iately after  Christmas,  spending  the  winter  in  New 
York  and  Boston.) 

"  Prettier  than  ever,  mavourneen,"  his  deep 
voice  flattered,  "  Come,  that  wasn't  half  a  kiss," 
and  he  held  out  his  arms  to  her. 

But  there  was  a  burning  light  in  his  eyes  from 
which  she  shrank  away.  He  dropped  his  arms,  a 
frown  on  his  handsome  face. 

"  Oh,"  he  sneered,  "  if  only  I  wore  brown  overalls 
and  a  flannel  shirt — "  with  a  rueful  glance  down  at 
his  snowy  shirt-front,  his  carefully  creased  trowsers 
and  his  shining  patent-leathers. 

"  I     ....     I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 

"  If  only  I  were  my  father's  foreman,  see  what 
my  daily  reward  would  be." 

"  Mr.  Richard ! "  she  denied,  coloring  more 
deeply,  "  he  never  kissed  me  in  his  life,  never  wanted 
to." 

"  Then  why  did  you  call  me  Paul  ?  " 

"  Because  your  voice  and  his,  your  laugh  and  his, 
are  so  much  alike." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  263 

"  I  should  feel  deeply  flattered." 

"  And  because  I  didn't  know  you  was  home." 

"  Just  got  back,  and  I  came  up  to  find  you  the 
first  thing." 

"  Oh,  you're  funnin'.  You've  been  to  Howards' 
and  you  know  it." 

"Indeed,  I  have  not."  (He  forgot  to  add  that 
Nina  was  not  at  home.)  "  William  just  brought 
me  from  the  train.  And  he  hasn't  put  away  the 
carriage  yet.  Come,  let  us  go  for  a  drive.  There's 
no  one  over  at  the  House  except  Lena." 

"I  ....  came  up  on  an  errand  and  I  must 
wait  to  see  Marah,"  objected  the  girl,  retreating,  a 
little  frightened  by  his  manner  and  at  finding  her- 
self alone  with  him.  Had  she  been  mistaken? 
Was  Paul  nowhere  about? 

Her  companion  came  nearer.  "  Why  will  you 
always  put  me  off?  This  is  a  nice  way  to  treat  a 
fellow  after  he's  been  gone  all  winter;  when  he  came 
home  on  purpose  to  look  into  certain  lovely  eyes  and 
to  hold  certain  pretty  hands,  since  it  seems  he  can't 
get  anything  else." 

Ruth  looked  down  at  her  hands  and  tossed  her 
head  with  a  half  glance  at  her  reflection  in  the 
glass.  "What  else  does  a  fellow  want?"  she 
laughed,  lifting  her  eyes  coquettishly. 

"  Come  here  and  I'll  show  you,"  and  his  eyes 
riveted  hers  with  sheer  animal  force. 


264  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Her  cheeks  scorched  painfully  and  her  heart 
quickened,  but  she  bantered  lightly :  "  Oh,  you 
like  blue  eyes  and  light  yellow  hair  best  of  all. 
Hilma  told  me  you  said  so." 

Richard's  glance  flickered  and  fell.  "  Hilma  !  " 
he  laughed,  "  What  does  that  moon-faced,  tow- 
headed  Swede  girl  know  about  my  tastes  ?  No  one 
believes  anything  she  says." 

"  I  suppose  you  know  she's  married  ?  " 

"  Believe  I  did  hear  it,"  carelessly. 

"  Yes,  New  Year's  day.  They  had  fussed,  but 
Mr.  Allan  got  them  to  make  it  up." 

"  Hope  they're  happy." 

"  Gus  ain't  very  good  to  her.  He  won't  let  her 
wear  any  of  the  pretty  dresses  she  bought  last  fall, 
nor  any  of  the  jewelry.  He  broke  up  her  prettiest 
chain  and  won't  get  her  another,  though  he's  been 
promoted  to  crew-foreman,  at  much  better  pay." 

"  And  how  is  your  black  beast  ?  " 

«  My— what?  " 

"  Don  Senor  Antonio  Garia,  hewer  of  wood  and 
carrier  of  water." 

"  Oh,  he  don't  carry  no  water  and  he  oughtn't  to 
tut  wood.  He's  up  at  the  Mill  yet,  but  he'd  ought 
to  be  here,  because  he's  a  quarryman,  the  best  at 
Eldhurst,  if  Gus  did  beat  him  over  at  Lyons  last 
week  at  the  single  drill  contest.  I  s'pose  you  heard 
that  too.  Hilma's  braggin'  to  everybody." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  265 

Eldreth  made  a  gesture  of  disgust.  "  Oh,  Ruth, 
what  do  you  care  about  the  low  quarrymen  and  their 
doings?  You  are  surely  riot  going  to  throw  your- 
self away  on  that  dirty  mill-hand,  sweet  and  pretty 
as  you  are,  and  turn  down  the  Boss's  son  into  the 
bargain." 

The  girl  was  silent,  weighing  his  words. 

"Of  course  it's  your  privilege;  mere  matter  of 
taste.  But  every  one  wonders  what  pretty  little 
Ruth  Bradley  sees  in  that  ill-favored  Mexican  mon- 
grel." 

"  You  .  .  .  you  shouldn't  talk  about  him  so, 
Mr.  Richard.  Tony  he  loves  me." 

"  Well,  Lord  above !  don't  I  ?  Why  have  I  hung 
about  Quarry  Town  like  some  outlaw  for  a  five 
minutes  with  you  at  the  back  gate?  Why  have 
I  come  back  home  when  everything  here  is  stale, 
flat  and  unprofitable  ?  With  whom  do  I  waltz  ?  Of 
whom  do  I  dream  nights  ?  Whom  do  I  love  ?  Tell 
me!" 

"  Miss  Howard,  I  reckon." 

"  Never  mind  about  Miss  Howard.  You  listen 
to  me.  I'm  not  going  to  be  trifled  with  any  longer. 
You're  coming  with  me  this  week,  or  it's  all  off. 
Your  father's  away  from  home  for  three  days  to 
come,  and  the  coast  is  clear  everywhere.  You've 
not  been  to  Denver  for  months.  I've  told  you  I'll 
take  you,  show  you  an  elegant  time  and  get  you  back 


266  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

before  your  father  returns.  If  any  thing's  said, 
you've  been  visiting  your  cousin  Maude's  and  you 
didn't  know  I  was  within  a  thousand  miles  of  Den- 
ver. Not  many  girls  have  such  a  chance.  And  as 
for  jewelry,  I  might  help  you  select  some.  My  taste 
is  accounted  fair,"  and  he  took  occasion  to  trans- 
fer from  one  pocket  to  another  an  astonishing  roll 
of  bills. 

Ruth's  poor  heart  was  in  her  throat  now.  He 
was  closer  to  her,  his  pleading  face  bent  above  her. 
He  was  handsome,  and  so  much  higher  born  than 
Antonio  or  Paul.  Not  many  girls  had  such  a 
chance,  but  .  .  . 

"  I'm  afraid.     Oh,  don't  ask  me." 

"  Afraid  of  whom  ?  of  what  ?  " 

"  Tony.  He's  coming  down  tonight.  Oh,  my 
sakes !  you  don't  know  Tony.  He — he's  aivful. 

Her  companion  laughed  easily.  "  Leave  the  little 
half-breed  to  me.  That  will  be  my  concern." 

"  But  Tony  wants  to  marry  me,"  with  a  wistful 
little  emphasis  on  the  name. 

"  Of  course  he  does,"  he  laughed,  ignoring  the 
emphasis,  but  pressing  nearer  and  capturing  one  of 
her  hands,  "  we  all  do." 

"  Father  says  that  gentlemen  never — " 

"  Talk  marry,"  he  ended  for  her,  "  Now  you 
know  better.  Look  at  your  cousin  Maude.  Wasn't 
she  waitress  at  the  St.  James,  and  didn't  one  of  the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  267 

boarders  fall  in  love  with  and  marry  her?  Come 
now,  be  sensible.  I  thought  of  course  it  was  un- 
derstood between  us." 

The  girl  gasped.  A  proposal,  and  from  the 
Boss's  son!  "  But — but — I — "  she  stammered. 

"  Oh,  I  know;  not  right  away;  you're  too  young, 
and  you  don't  care  to  settle  down  yet.  Of  course 
not.  But  you  love  me,  Mavourneen,  you  won't 
deny  that."  He  had  pushed  up  the  loose  sleeve  and 
was  pressing  quick  warm  kisses  on  the  flesh  of  her 
plump  arm,  adding  between  kisses,  "  And  I  shouldn't 
believe  you  if  you  did  deny  it." 

"  Oh  don't — please  don't,"  she  pleaded  faintly, 
shrinking  against  the  wall  toward  the  door  of  Paul's 
room,  whither  she  had  all  the  time  been  retreating. 
Paul  must  certainly  be  asleep.  If  only -he  .  .  .  . 

Richard  followed,  the  soft  arm  held  to  his  mouth 
in  a  long  pressure.  "  Come  tonight,"  he  pleaded, 
his  breath  on  her  neck,  "  come  to  the  first  north 
entrance,  the  side  door  beyond  the  bow-window. 
I'll  watch  and  let  you  in.  Or  if  you'd  rather,  there's 
the  summer-house.  We  can  go  to  the  city  yet  to- 
night. Anywhere — any  way.  Oh  Ruth,  how 
sweet  you  are!  How  I  want  you!  How  I  want 
you !  "  Both  arms  went  suddenly  round  her ;  he 
was  crushing  her  against  the  wall. 

"  Paul,  Paul !  "  she  wailed. 

There  was  a  quick  movement  in  the  room  ad- 


268  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

joining  and  the  door  near  them  was  thrown  open. 
Richard's  back  was  to  the  door  and  before  he  could 
turn,  his  collar  was  seized,  he  was  lifted  and  flung 
headlong  against  the  wainscotting  of  the  opposite 
wall,  while  Ruth,  pale  and  trembling,  clung  to  Paul. 

Richard  did  not  rise,  but  lay  with  closed  eyes  and 
blood-stained  face. 

"  You  have  killed  him — you! " 

It  was  Marah's  shrill  treble,  as  she  darted  through 
the  door  and  fell  on  her  knees  beside  the  unconscious 
man.  "  Your  own — master,  your  own  master !  " 
she  repeated,  lifting  malignant  eyes  to  Paul's  face. 
"  Ruth,  bring  me  water." 

Paul  watched  her  wash  the  blood  from  Richard's 
forehead,  then  turned  to  the  frightened  girl  and 
without  a  word,  led  her  from  the  house. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  269 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MOTHER    AND   SON. 

THE  two  gone,  Marah  sat  down  on  the  floor  and 
drawing  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the  stunned  man 
into  her  lap,  gazed  down  into  the  pale  face  with 
yearning  tenderness. 

But  the  strange,  unearthly  light  came  into  her 
eyes.  She  lifted  him  still  higher,  cradling  his 
head  against  her  full  breast  and  rocking  to  and  fro, 
began  to  sing : 

Is  it  death  ?     Is  it  sleep,  my  Dearie  ? 

Sleep,  sleep  ! 
Ne'er  to  weep,  ne'er  to  weep,  nor  weary, 

Sleep,  sleep  ! 

It  is  death,  it  is  death,  my  Dearie  ! 

That's  best. 
I'll  not  weep,  I'll  not  weep  ;  life  is  dreary — , 

Rest,  rest  ! 

Richard  Eldreth  opened  his  eyes,  tried  to  sit  up, 
but  sank  back,  blinded  by  the  pain  in  his  head.  A 
pitying  look  came  into  the  woman's  eyes  and  she 


270  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

clasped  her  arms  more  tightly  around  him.  He 
struggled  up  to  a  sitting  position,  pushing  her  away 
and  leaning  against  the  wall  with  closed  eyes.  She 
crept  closer,  with  the  cringing  look  of  a  beaten  dog. 
He  impatiently  flung  away  the  hand  she  laid  on  his 
arm. 

"  Let  me  alone." 

"  Don't  you  want  to  lie  down?  " 

"No.     Where  is  he?" 

"  Taking  her  home." 

The  man  uttered  an  ugly  oath  and  got  to  his  feet, 
but  sank  into  the  nearest  chair  with  a  groan.  Marah 
was  beside  him  in  an  instant,  holding  his  head 
against  her  and  staunching  the  trickling  blood. 

"  He  shan't  have  her,"  he  muttered. 

Marah  laughed.  "  He  cares  nothing  for  her.  He 
looks  higher.  And  you'd  best  let  him  alone.  He 
has  twice  your  strength.  He  could  kill  you." 

"  Well,  what  is  that  to  you?  "  pulling  away. 

She  drew  him  back  and,  leaning,  whispered  some- 
thing in  his  ear. 

"  Good  God !  and  not  his  ?  " 

"  Mine  and  his." 

He  sank  back  against  her  through  sheer  weak- 
ness, staring  vacantly  up  into  her  face.  Then  he 
started  up,  saying  quickly : 

"  But  he  has  acknowledged  me.  I  bear  his  name. 
The  will  is  drawn  for  me  as  well  as  for  Lilys.  I 
have  seen  it.  We  share  alike." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  271 

Her  smile  was  half  contemptuous,  yet  her 
thoughts  were  sad.  There  was  no  pleasure  to  him 
then  in  finding  a  mother.  He  had  never  a  thought 
for  her  who  bore  him  in  misery  and  in  shame,  her- 
self a  mere  child,  betrayed,  deserted?  He  was  a 
true  Eldreth.  And  she — dear  God!  how  she  had 
starved  for  her  baby,  sacrificing  her  very  self  for  his 
material  good,  when  sometimes  she  would  have 
given— 

His  agitated  voice  broke  her  musings.  "  How 
many  know  this?  " 

"  Your  father,  of  course,  Edwin  Allan  and  my- 
self. Torture  by  fire  could  not  draw  it  from  your 
father;  Allan  gave  his  promise  more  than  twenty 
years  ago  and  he  will  never  break  it,  and  I  know 
how  to  keep  a  secret.  The  man  with  whom  I  lived 
nearly  a  year  did  not  dream  it.  Edith  Allan  knew — 
knew  it  when  she  took  my  lover  from  me;  but  the 
dead  keep  all  secrets,"  and  she  laughed  loudly. 

He  pondered  deeply  for  a  time ;  then  his  thoughts 
fell  from  his  tongue : 

"  And  you  never  lived  with  him.  Why,  can't 
you  see,  if  it  suited  him,  he  could  declare  me  un- 
lawful and  rewrite  his  will.  What  in  blazes  were 
you  thinking  of  not  to  live  with  him  ?  Where  were 
your  wits,  and  he  as  rich  as  Croesus?  Why  didn't 
he  marry  you  ?  " 

"  Why  didn't  you  marry  Hjlma.  Andersen?  " 


272  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

She  paused  for  the  reply  he  did  not  make,  then 
added  bitterly :  "  She  would  grace  the  House  about 
as  I  would  have.  Oh  no,  it's  ladies,  snow-clean 
creatures  like  Edith  Allan  and  Nina  Howard,  that 
the  Eldreths  must  have  as  wives." 

"  But  you  were  beautiful,  at  least.  You  must 
have  been.  But  you  were  a  fool,  just  the  same. 
Think  of  Eldhurst !  And  there  were  breach-of- 
promise  suits,  secret  marriage, — any  number  of 
ways." 

She  smothered  the  contempt  in  her  eyes  and  then 
they  grew  wistfully  tender  again;  and  this  woman 
who  all  her  life  had  been  strong  and  harsh,  went 
down  on  her  knees  beside  the  child  of  her  love  en- 
treating : 

"  Call  me  '  Mother  '  once,  Richard, — only  once !  " 

"  Oh  come  now,  don't  be  silly !  " 

He  rose  unsteadily,  but  when  he  reached  the  door, 
was  compelled  to  lean  with  his  hands  to  his  head. 

Slowly,  almost  painfully,  his  mother  arose  from 
her  knees,  her  face  cold  and  hard  again,  and  seem- 
ingly older.  She  did  not  speak  till  she  was  close  to 
him,  then  she  said  sternly: 

"  I  have  not  told  you  all,  Richard — Maitland." 

She  glanced  about  apprehensively  in  the  gather- 
ing shadows,  then  putting  her  lips  close  to  his  ear, 
she  ended  her  speech  in  the  veriest  whisper. 

"  The  d-e-v-i-1 !  "  he  ejaculated,  staring  at  her 
aghast,  "Not  No!" 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  273 

"  Yes." 

He  drew  an  audible  breath,  and  a  long  silence 
spent  itself. 

"  And  how  many  know  that?  " 

"  Two,  in  all  the  world." 

"You  and  I?" 

"  You  and  I." 

He  sprang  to  her  side. 

"  And  this  secret,  Mother,  dear  Mother?  " 

He  bent  forward  in  the  gloom,  looking  deep  into 
her  eyes  that  were  misty  with  joy  now. 

She  lifted  eyes  and  hand  in  mute  eloquence  to 
heaven. 

Then  the  hands  of  mother  and  son  met  in  a  long 
clasp. 


274  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CRUEL  WITH   THE  VIRTUE  OF  A   MAN. 

PAUL  hurried  Ruth  to  her  home  in  absolute  si- 
lence. She  sobbed  and  shivered  all  the  way,  cling- 
ing to  his  arm.  Had  he  known  less  of  men  and 
proportionally  more  of  women,  he  might  have 
guessed  at  the  truth.  When  he  would  have  left  her 
at  the  gate  with  a  brief  though  kindly  good-bye,  she 
clung  to  him  more  closely. 

"  Don't  go  away  mad  at  me,  Paul.  Please  for- 
give me.  I  just  can't  stand  it." 

"  Why  will  you  persist  in  meeting  him  ? "  he 
questioned,  his  grave  rebuking  eyes  upon  her,  "  I 
would  feel  more  sorry  for  you  if  you  had  not  been 
warned  over  again.  You  know  your  father's  opin- 
ion of  him ;  and  heaven  only  knows  what  Antonio 
would  have  done  in  my  place  just  now.  Dick 
Eldreth  is  not  the  man  for  a  good  girl  to  listen  to. 
Why  will  you  not  understand  me,  Ruth?  Shall  I 
have  to  make  it  plainer?  " 

"  He  wasn't  there  when  I  went  up  to  your  house, 
and  I  didn't  know  he  was  comin'.  Honest  and  true, 
Paul." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  275 

"  Why,  then,  were  you  there?  "  he  asked  sternly. 
"  You  met  my  mother  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  You 
knew  she  was  not  at  home." 

The  girl's  face  drooped.  "I  ....  Don't 
you  know?  "  she  whispered. 

"  To  see  Selma,  the  girl?  " 

"  No,"  and  her  head  bent  lower. 

"  Oh,  of  course ;  to  see  me  about  Antonio's  trans- 
fer to  the  quarries.  Indeed,  I  have  done  all  in  my 
power.  I  have  even  offered  to  take  his  place  at  the 
mill." 

She  lifted  her  head  with  desperate  courage. 
"  Who  wants  him  here  and  you  up  there  ?  Oh,  if 
you  was  like  any  other  man,  you'd  know — so  now !  " 

Both  her  hands  were  clasped  about  his  arm,  her 
pretty,  eager  face  was  lifted.  He  drew  away 
slightly  to  look  into  her  eyes  and  so  gather  her 
meaning.  Then  he  unclasped  her  hands  and  put 
her  gently  from  him.  The  warm  color  mantled 
her  cheeks  at  his  touch. 

"  Now  .  .  .  now  you  know,  Paul,"  she 
stammered. 

"  No,  I  do  not,"  he  denied  firmly,  "  and  you  must 
forgive  me  if  I  seem  meddlesome  in  the  matter  of 
your  friendship  with  Richard  Eldreth.  But  I  am 
your  father's  partner  and  Antonio  Garia's  friend, 
and  I  could  not  look  them  in  the  face  day  after  day 
if  I  did  not  act  in  all  things  for  their  interests  and 
the  interest  of  one  who  is  so  dear  to  both." 


276  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

She  could  but  feel  the  gentleness  of  the  rebuke; 
but  the  strong  regard,  almost  veneration,  which  he 
always  inspired  in  her  susceptible  heart  overwhelmed 
every  other  thought.  Was  there  another  such  in 
all  her  little  world — so  manly,  so  sympathetic,  yet 
so  inapproachable?  Tears  of  disappointment  welled 
in  her  eyes.  She  knew  he  was  slipping  from  her. 
She  bowed  her  head  against  his  arm  and  sobbed: 

"  Oh,  I  will  never  look  at  Mr.  Richard  again,  nor 
at  Tony  either,  if  ...  if  ...  I  don't 
care  for  either  of  them;  you  know  I  don't.  Paul, 
Paul!  I  love—" 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  girl,  you  do  not,"  interposed 
the  young  man  quickly,  lifting  her  chin  and  looking 
at  her  with  a  gaze  she  could  not  misinterpret,  "  You 
only  think  you  care  for  this  one,  other  than  your  be- 
trothed. You  are  too  easily  influenced ;  it  will  work 
to  your  own  evil  if  you  are  not  careful.  Don't 
cry;  this  one  is  unworthy  a  tear,  a  thought  of  your 
kind  heart.  Go  in,  dear,  and  say  your  prayers  for 
him ;  he  needs  them." 

His  meaning  was  unmistakable  this  time.  She 
sprang  from  him  stung  to  her  woman's  pride. 

"  Hs  is  as  worthy  my  thoughts  as  his  sister  is 
of  yours.  If  he  follows  me,  I  just  guess  it  ain't  no 
worse  than  her  a-followin'  you  right  up  to  the  last 
minute  she  was  here.  Oh,  you  needn't  frown. 
Folks  knows  it — how  you  two  was  till  most  mornin' 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  277 

gettin'  down  from  the  mill  that  time  last  summer. 
And  didn't  she  ride  up  to  the  lodge  next  day,  on  the 
supply  wagon,  like  common  folks,  when  she  knew 
you'd  walked  up,  when  she  knew  it  was  goin'  to 
storm  and  you'd  have  to  stay  all  night  as  you  did 
with  only  deaf  old  Davis — " 

"  Stop,  Ruth  Bradley!  "  Paul's  face  looked  white 
through  the  gloom,  and  his  voice  shook.  "  You  are 
repeating  what  you  know  is  false.  Ask  Max  or 
Luis  or  any  of  the  Lower  Ranch  men  where  I  spent 
that  night.  Ask  my  mother.  Gossip  has  gone  far 
when  it  couples  Miss  Eldreth's  name  with  one  of 
her  father's  men;  and  you  are  going  to  stop  it — 
your  part  of  it.  Shame,  Ruth !  Where  is  your 
self-respect,  your  womanhood,  your  sympathy  with 
your  own  sex?  And  you  a  teacher,  a  Christian,  a 
follower  of  the  Golden  Rule!  " 

"Hold!  you  two!" 

Antonio  Garia  sprang  from  his  spent  broncho  at 
the  very  gate  before  either  was  aware  of  his  prox- 
imity. Ruth  turned  deathly  white,  and  shrank  close 
to  her  companion,  for  she  knew  her  betrothed's  tem- 
per; but  he  only  laughed  while  he  tied  his  horse, 
bantering : 

"  Now,  Senor  Menendez,  if  ycu  think  you  are 
through  with  my  sweetheart,  I'll  be  much  obliged 
for  an  hour  or  so  and  a  kiss  or  two,  if  you've  left 
any — no  ?  " 


278  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Paul  turned  him  a  frankly  smiling  face.  "  Plenty. 
I'm  ordinarily  courageous,  but  not  so  foolhardy  as 
to  covet  Sefior  Garia's  belongings.  I  was  just  leav- 
ing. Good-night,  and  good-bye  to  you  both.  I  am 
no  longer  foreman  of  Eldhurst.  I  leave  for  Ward 
tomorrow  night  to  manage  the  Hopeful." 

"  Yes,  he  was  scolding  me,"  pouted  Ruth,  leaning 
listlessly  against  Antonio's  broad  shoulder  and  ab- 
sently toying  with  his  revolver  hilt,  "  But  he 
brought  me  home  and  he  called  me  his  '  dear  girl.' 
Aren't  you  jealous?  " 

"  Not  a  little  bit,"  laughed  her  lover,  hugging 
her  up  to  him  with  a  bear-like  squeeze.  "  Why  that 
poor  fellow  is  so  in  love  with  the  Boss's  daughter 
that  he  doesn't  know  if  there's  another  girl  in 
Boulder  county.  And  a  man  that  can  get  the  high- 
est rose  on  the  trellis  isn't  even  going  to  see  the 
violets  on  the  ground — no  ?  " 

"  But  he  can't  get  her;  it's  too  high  up." 

"  Sometimes  even  climbing  roses  will  trail.  If 
you'd  have  seen  her  up  there  in  the  woods  when  she 
thought  I  had  hurt  him.  And  they  didn't  know  I 
looked  back.  I  saw  her  hanging  onto  his  arm  and 
looking  up  at  him  like  .  .  .  like  .... 
Well,  no  pretty  girl  had  better  ever  look  at  me  so, 
that's  all!  Diantre!  Can't  get  her!  He's  a  damn 
fool  if  he  doesn't  take  her  for  half  an  asking.  I 
would,  if  I  had  to  plant  the  rest  of  the  family." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  279 

"  He  can't,  he  can't,"  repeated  the  girl,  pressing 
her  hand  fiercely  against  that  torn  letter  in  her 
bosom.  Ah,  she  knew  a  way  to  "  fix  things  "  be- 
tween Paul  and  the  Boss's  daughter,  and  who  would 
blame  her  for  playing  even  with  a  man  who  had 
as  good  as  told  her  that  he  cared  nothing  for  her — 
her,  Ruth  Bradley,  the  prettiest  girl  in  all  Eldhurst. 
(Mr.  Richard  had  told  her  she  was.)  Very  good, 
Paul  Menendez,  you  have  no  taste  for  violets;  you 
shall  have  no  chance  at  roses.  Aloud  she  said  pout- 
ingly : 

"  I  know.  You  think  her  prettier  than  me ;  you 
and  Paul  both  think  so." 

His  honest  hesitation  was  sufficient  answer, 
though  he  said  reflectively:  "  It  must  be  the  dress 
that  makes  the  difference.  She  can  certainly  get 
herself  up  stunningly.  Some  think  Miss  Howard 
the  most  beautiful,  but  she's  too  cold;  a  dead  pearl 
beside  a  fire-opal." 

"  Humph !  Maybe  you'd  like  to  cut  Paul  out  for 
the  climbing  rose?"  And  she  writhed  out  of  his 
arms  and  flirted  off  to  the  other  side  of  the  gate. 

He  recaptured  and  kissed  her  severely  before  he 
replied :  "  Not  I.  What  would  I  do  with  a  fine 
lady?  Put  her  up  in  the  niche  beside  my  Virgin 
and  say  prayers  to  her?  And  what  would  she  do 
with  me?  Being  used  as  a  door-mat  might  prove 
uncomfortable.  Paul's  different.  His  mother 


280  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

worked  for  the  Allans  and  knows  gentle  ways;  and 
as  to  his  father,  Max  says  that  Manuel  Menendez 
was  no  peon,  for  all  he  lived  one,  and  Max  ought  to 
know  the  castes  of  his  own  country." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care,"  sulked  the  girl,  "  You  and 
Paul  can  just  think  Miss  Eldreth  and  Miss  Howard 
prettier  than  me.  I  know  who  doesn't  think  so, 
and  I  mean  to  flirt  with  him  first  chance  I  get,  see 
if  I  don't." 

"  You  try  it !  Saints  on  high !  try  it — only 
once !  "  he  hissed,  locking  his  sinewy  brown  hands 
round  her  plump  throat  and  shaking  her  threaten- 
ingly. "  Women  have  died  for  less  than  that — my 
own  mother  died  for  less!  And  I  am  my  father's 
son.  Si,  si! " 

"  Tony !  "  she  gasped,  fear  in  her  eyes,  "  it  wasn't 
me  you  said  you'd  kill — it  was  him." 

"  Don't  make  me  do  either,"  he  said  gloomily,  as 
he  turned  toward  house. 

The  next  day  when  Paul  came  to  talk  with 
Bradley  about  taking  personal  charge  of  the  Hope- 
ful, and  while  he  was  waiting  for  her  father,  Ruth, 
smiling  and  unconcerned,  asked  him  to  address  an 
envelope  to  Miss  Eldreth  in  Boston.  One  of  the 
mission  school  children  wanted  to  send  her  a  birth- 
day card,  she  said. 

And  Paul,  wholly  unsuspicious,  complied  with  her 
request. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  281 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

LIKE    FATHER,    LIKE   SON. 

MATTERS  at  Eldhnrst  went  rapidly  from  bad  to 
worse  that  spring.  Half  a  score  of  experienced  men 
declined  to  work  under  another  foreman,  and 
frankly  stated  so  when  they  asked  for  their  time. 
One  foreman  after  another  was  tried,  first  some 
stranger,  next  some  one  from  the  place. 

While  Max  was  trying  to  make  his  experience 
as  head-shepherd  stand  good  for  the  handling  of 
men  and  the  other  lines — agriculture,  lumbering  and 
quarrying — Luis,  in  charge  of  the  flocks  of  the 
Lower  Ranch,  let  a  bunch  of  lambs  go  down  in  a 
freshet;  scores  were  dying  from  some  baffling  af- 
fection and,  late  as  it  was,  the  shearing  was  not  yet 
arranged  for.  Max  promptly  straightened  most  of 
these  matters  when,  excused  from  the  foremanship, 
he  again  gave  his  attention  exclusively  to  the  sheep. 

The  next  three  men  were  failures,  each  more 
emphatically  so  than  his  predecessor.  Whenever 
Mr.  Eldreth  ventured  to  absent  himself  there  were 
looseness  and  shirking,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the 
sub-formen,  and,  most  demoralizing  of  all,  there 


282  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

was  no  recognized  authority,  no  final  court  of  ap- 
peal. 

And  Mr.  Eldreth's  absences  grew  more  frequent 
and  more  lengthy.  He  was  absorbing  himself  in 
politics,  and  it  was  whispered  that  his  ambitions 
stopped  nowhere  short  of  the  United  States  senate. 

The  fifth  experiment  as  foreman  was  a  stranger 
from  the  far  East,  wholly  unaccustomed  to  Western 
ways  and  Western  men.  He  had  been  a  crew-boss 
in  the  Allegheny  coal  mining  districts,  and  was 
domineering  enough  to  suit  even  Pierce  Eldreth. 
But  he  knew  nothing  of  growing  crops  under  irrig- 
ation ;  the  mills  under  his  foremanship  kept  lowering 
their  average  output,  and  finally,  in  desperation, 
Eldreth  assumed  direct  management  of  his  two  big 
ranches,  himself,  placing  this  Pennsylvania  man, 
Schmidt,  in  charge  of  the  quarries  when  Bradley  re- 
signed in  May. 

At  once  the  output  of  the  quarries  ran  up,  greatly 
to  Eldreth's  gratification.  What  did  it  matter  that 
the  men  were  discontented  and  grumbling? 
Schmidt  could  hold  them  down.  Thank  the  Lord 
there  was  one  little  corner  of  Eldhurst  to  which 
he  did  not  have  to  run  every  day.  Wagner  had 
always  to  be  watched  more  or  less  closely;  the 
Lower  Ranch  had  to  be  gone,  over  just  so  often ;  and 
there  was  Webb  losing  man  after  experienced  man 
and  it  was  such  a  hard  ride  up  to  the  lumber  camp. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  283 

Late  in  April  the  Greeley  paving  bids  were  opened 
and  the  contract  went  to  the  Lyons  quarries.  Eld- 
reth  immediately  laid  off  half  the  force  at  his  quar- 
ries. This  while  Bradley  was  still  in  charge;  and 
it  had  required  all  of  his  and  the  Rector's  persuasion 
in  the  union's  called  meeting  to  keep  the  other  half 
from  laying  down  their  tools.  Unbeknown  to  Eld- 
reth,  Paul  was  called  down  from  Ward  to  go  to  the 
mill  and  talk  to  the  union  there,  to  prevent  Webb's 
resignation  and  the  trouble  that  seemed  in  the  very 
air. 

The  latter  part  of  May,  Eldreth  received  private 
word  from  reliable  sources  that  the  Springs  paving 
contract  would  probably  go  to  an  Eastern  concern; 
and  he  forthwith  announced  that  there  would  be  a 
cut  in  wages  at  the  quarries. 

Bradley  and  Paul  were  both  at  Ward  now  (for 
the  Hopeful  was  breaking  her  record),  Webb,  as  it 
chanced,  was  in  Denver,  and  Allan  was  ill,  confined 
to  his  bed.  Schmidt  had  kept  the  men  at  work,  it 
is  true,  but  there  were  complaints  and  threats  and 
open  talk  of  a  strike. 

There  was  to  be  a  called  meeting  of  the  quarries' 
union  for  Saturday,  when  the  matter  would  be 
brought  up;  and  the  Rector  lifted  his  burning  head 
and  trembling  hand  long  enough  to  pencil  a  note  to 
Paul,  detailing  the  explosive  situation,  and  begging 
him  to  come  down  for  that  Saturday  meeting  to 


284  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

counteract  the  influence  of  Andersen  and  Swenssen 
and  Garia  and  the  ether  hotheads. 

Paul  came  down  from  Ward  Thursday  morning, 
and  had  a  long  reassuring  talk  with  his  old  teacher. 
Certainly  he  would  do  his  utmost  toward  peace.  Al- 
ready he  had  seen  for  a  few  moments  Andersen  and 
others  of  the  ultra  element  up  in  Quarry  Town  and 
he  believed  they  would  listen  to  reason.  Nothing 
would  be  decided  upon  till  Saturday  evening's  meet- 
ing which  he,  Paul,  had  been  asked  to  address.  He 
had  also  been  asked  to  act  as  mediator  between  the 
men  and  their  employer.  Schmidt  was  very  un- 
popular, and  Mr.  Eldreth  at  best  was  greatly  mis- 
understood and  misrepresented;  but  he  would  do  his 
best. 

When  Paul  left  the  sick  room,  promising  to  re- 
main at  Eldhurst  as  late  as  possible  Saturday  night, 
Edwin  Allan  breathed  a  long  sigh,  turned  over  and 
sank  into  his  first  refreshing  sleep  for  weary  days 
and  nights. 

Thursday,  the  first  in  June,  was  the  day  Lilys 
was  expected  home  from  Boston.  Paul  had  scarcely 
returned  from  the  Rector's  bedside  and  seated  him- 
self in  the  cottage  porch  where  his  mother  sat  sew- 
ing, when  William  pulled  the  carriage  up  before  the 
Rectory  door. 

Marah  watched  her  son's  eyes  wander  from  the 
unturned  pages  of  his  "  Mining  Laws  "  to  where  a 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  285 

trim  brown-clad  figure  was  disappearing  within  the 
Rectory. 

After  some  delay,  the  carriage  climbed  the  steep 
hill  to  the  House.  They  could  see  Wagner's  band 
of  hay-hands,  skirting  the  hill's  base  toward  the 
barns,  stop  and  wave  their  hats  in  salute  to  the  Little 
Mistress,  in  response  to  which  the  trim  brown  figure 
rose  in  the  carriage  beside  her  father  and  fluttered 
a  handkerchief. 

When  the  carriage  stopped  at  the  block,  they 
could  see  Helene,  Lena,  Pepito,  Sam  and  the  others 
surround  it,  and  the  brown  figure  was  lost  among 
them. 

Marah  made  a  sudden  little  movement;  Paul 
lifted  his  eyes  and,  catching  her  expression,  bent 
over  his  book  with  a  show  of  sudden  interest,  the 
dark  blood  mounting  to  his  face. 

"  You  will  see  her?  "  queried  his  mother. 

The  young  man  shook  his  head.  Scant  confi- 
dence was  there  between  mother  and  son,  less  sym- 
pathy. 

"  I  go  to  the  mill  tomorrow  to  a  meeting  of  their 
union;  Saturday  to  the  meeting  of  the  quarries 
union,  after  an  interview  with  Mr.  Eldreth,  and  the 
same  night  back  to  Ward  if  I  can  make  the  train. 
I  promised  Bradley,  who  can  not  be  at  the  mine." 

Marah  looked  him  over  scornfully.  Were  her 
cherished  plans  to  be  defeated,  after  all,  by  this 


286  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

strong-willed  boy?  Leaning  back  and  swaying  to 
and  fro  in  her  rocker,  she  sang  in  her  matchless 
voice : 

"  'So  in  that  purple  twilight  my  heart  was  overcome, 

By  the  breath  of  your  song,  and   I    loved  you  though  my 

tongue  was  dry  and  dumb. 
For  you  were  a  high-born  LADY,   and   why  should   you 

care  for  me  ? 
So  I  stole  away  not  knowing  you  were  singing  to  me  — 

to  me." 

But  the  song  and  the  taunting  laugh  which  ended 
it  served  merely  to  deepen  the  red  in  the  fair  face 
bending  above  "  Mining  Laws." 

"  When  will  you  see  her?  "  persisted  his  tormen- 
tor, "  You  can  not  always  avoid  it." 

Paul  arose,  putting  down  his  book.  "  When  he 
can  take  my  hand  as  an  equal;  when  the  name  I 
bear  is  no  longer  a  reproach ;  when  I  have  conquered 
this  cursed  blood  in  my  veins." 

"  Such  blood  is  strong." 

The  lines  about  his  mouth  deepened.  "  Will  is 
stronger." 

"  And  a  name  once  stained — " 

"  May  be  cleansed." 

Her  shoulders  lifted.  "  I'm  afraid  you'll  find  it's 
fast  colors ;  hand-dyed  in  the  wool.  Time  may  fade 
it;  but  even  so,  there  remains,  will  always  remain, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  287 

that  unproffered  hand  of  his.  Therefore,  you  may 
have  to  content  yourself  with  viewing  her  from  the 
porch." 

"  That  is  very  probable." 

Marah  cut  her  thread  with  a  vicious  whack  of  the 
scissors,  her  lip  curling  disdainfully.  "  Oh,  the 
Eldreths!  they  are  so  high!  They  point  with  pride 
to  an  unbroken  line  back,  far  back  to — is  it  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror  or  Atilla  Scourge  of  God  ?  This 
on  the  paternal  side;  while  on  the  distaff  side,  there 
is  the  immortal  Samuel  Blue-blood  Huntington, 
Signer  of  the  Great  Declaration,  be  it  ever  re- 
membered. So  much  for  the  Eldreths.  As  for  the 
Allans — "  lifting  mocking  eyes  to  heaven,  "  the 
Allans  owned  and  sailed  the  Mayflower,  won  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  hold  a  first  mortgage 
on  Plymouth  Rock.  The  living  representatives  of 
this  noble  combination  should  adopt  as  their  coat  of 
arms  a  Pilgrim  father  passant  on  a  field  of  alfalfa, 
opposed  to  a  Swedish  stone-cutter  rampant.  Bah! 
your  walking  delegate  quoted  it  pat  in  that  last 
speech  of  his :  '  The  man  who  has  nothing  to  boast 
but  his  illustrious  ancestry  is  like  the  potato — the 
only  good  belonging  to  him  is  underground.' ' 

Even  this  brought  no  response,  only  a  half  smile. 

"  And  besides,  if  a  woman  chooses  to  stoop,  who 
shall  say  no  ?  "  she  challenged. 

He  came  and  stood  before  her,  saying  with  stern 


288  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

emphasis :  "  Hei  unborn  children,  her  very  choice 
himself,  if  he  be  not  too  weak,  too  blind,  too  mad." 

The  woman  reddened,  but  flung  back :  "  And  a 
man  may  be  safely  trusted  to  be  all  three,  where  a 
beautiful  woman  is  concerned." 

"  There  are  men  who  have  no  right  to  women, 
beautiful  or  otherwise,  much  less  to  children,  cursed 
before  birth." 

"  You  preach  well.  The  practice  remains  to  be 
seen.  You  have  never  been  tested.  You  are  a 
disciple  of  the  immaculate  Edwin  Allan,  but  you  are 
none  the  less  your  father's  son.  I  have  told  you 
before  that  you  are  like  him." 

Yes,  she  had  told  him  before — had  missed  no 
opportunity;  and  now,  as  always,  he  flinched  as  the 
lash  descended  upon  the  same  unhealed  wound.  But 
where  he  had  heretofore  borne  the  sting  in  silence, 
now  he  said  with  quiet  determination : 

"  Well,  I  shall  be  unlike  him  in  one  respect." 

His  mother  laughed  scoffingly.  "  Oh,  you  will, 
will  you  ?  Yes,  yes,  the  man  is  strong  and  ah !  so 
virtuous  when  he  views  her  from  the  porch.  But 
find  the  woman,  set  them  face  to  face,  turn  the  key, 
lower  the  lights  and  then,  my  word  for  it,  the  re- 
semblance to  his  honored  sire  will  be  quite  complete. 
Oh,  I  know  what  you're  thinking,"  as  his  face  set 
like  stone,  "  but  you  are  mistaken.  What  have  the 
man  and  his  resolutions  to  do  with  it?  It  may  take 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  289 

two  to  make  a  business  bargain,  but  for  a  love  bar- 
gain it  takes  only  one,  and  that  one  the  woman.  Do 
you  imagine  that  Manuel  Menendez  ever  dared  to 
confess  his  love  for  me,  much  less  propose  marriage  ? 
No.  He  was  content  to  view  me  from  the  sheep- 
corral  until — mark,  now  ! — until  I  was  ready." 

Her  son  stared  at  her  in  a  horror  of  amazement. 
The  small  common  ground  between  them  quaked 
and  was  rent  anew;  the  opening  gaped  wider  than 
before. 

"  So  you  see,  when  Miss  Eldreth  gets  ready  to 
stoop — " 

He  made  a  quick  dissenting  gesture  and  turned 
toward  his  chair. 

"  You  think  it  impossible?  that  she  cares  nothing 
for  you?  " 

"  Pray,  let  us  discuss  it  no  further,"  he  requested 
coldly,  reaching  for  his  book. 

"  One  question,  and  I  have  done.  You  are  at 
liberty  not  to  answer." 

He  had  begun  searching  for  his  place  in  the 
"  Laws,"  but  he  left  off  and  gave  her  polite  atten- 
tion. His  mother  fixed  him  with  her  piercing  eyes, 
leaning  forward  and  emphasizing  by  beating  her 
scissors  on  the  chair-arm. 

"  If  this  is  so  one-sided,  why  did  she  cling  to  me 
that  night  of  the  storm  when  you  brought  her  here, 
weeping  and  begging  not  to  be  taken  away  from  me ; 


290  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

why  did  she  kiss  me  again  and  again  there  in  the 
dark — and  call  me  by  your  name?  WHY?  " 

The  book  fell  to  the  floor.  Paul  sat  down  weakly, 
covering  his  face. 

The  relentless  voice  went  on  :  "  Why  did  she  re- 
fuse to  be  taken  from  your  bed,  and  why — ?  " 

"  Don't,  mother,  don't !  "  The  whisper  was  re- 
plete with  physical  pain. 

"  And  when  I  had  undressed  her  and  put  her 
under  the  covers,  why  did  she  cry  herself  to  sleep 
clasping  your  pillow,  and  lie  all  night  with  her  lips 
against  it?  Why— 

"Oh— God!     Stop!" 

Marah  too  had  risen,  the  wild  light  flaring  up  in 
her  eyes.  "'Impossible'  you  say?  Fool!  say 
rather  'inevitable.'  One-sided?  with  her  marked, 
branded  with  love-longing ;  conceiving  with  the  one 
image  love-traced  in  the  darkness;  passion  her  food, 
her  drink,  her  life." 

She  turned  and  moved  from  him,  both  arms  flung 
high,  rambling  on  incoherently :  "  Set  apart  for  him 
alone, — her  arms  for  his  neck,  her  head  for  his 
breast,  her  lips  for  his  lips.  What  can  he  do  with 
his  will,  his  resolutions,  his  prayers?  or  they  with 
their  petty  social  distinctions?  Not  heaven  can 
thwart  it,  nor  the  devil  and  all  his  angels.  What 
was  to  be  shall  be.  Then,  so  he  but  see  it,  let  me  die ! 
Marah  Maitland  never — " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  291 

It  ended  in  a  violent  paroxysm  of  coughing,  as 
Paul,  following,  caught  her  in  his  arms,  and,  for- 
getting his  own  misery,  he  soothed  her  with  a  wo- 
man's tenderness.  She  tried  feebly  to  push  him 
away,  but  he  sat  down,  in  her  rocker,  holding  her 
against  his  breast  as  he  might  a  child,  the  light  of  a 
great  pity  in  his  eyes. 

Once  she  shuddered  away  from  him,  muttering; 
but  the  next  instant  she  took  his  face  between  her 
thin  hands  and  kissed  his  lips  with  feverish  inten- 
sity, then  hid  her  face  down  on  his  shoulder.  And 
he  held  her  close  and  strong  till  she  fell  asleep; 
sat  long,  gazing  with  eyes  that  ached  and  blurred 
across  at  the  House  on  the  opposite  hill,  thinking 
sad,  perplexed  thoughts. 


292  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

LOVE  AGAINST  PRIDE. 

IF  Pierce  Eldreth  had  experienced  an  unaccount- 
able thrill  as  he  stood  before  that  portrait  at  Christ- 
mas time,  he  underwent  something  like  a  shock 
when  he  met  his  daughter  on  the  up-train  from 
Denver  that  June  morning.  She  seemed  taller, 
though  her  form  w7as  fuller,  the  very  perfection  of 
womanly  beauty.  Her  wealth  of  hair  was  coiled 
becomingly,  and  there  was  a  graceful,  fetching  air,  a 
regal  bearing  about  her  which  she  certainly  had  not 
taken  away  with  her. 

During  their  stop  at  the  Rectory,  her  uncle  had 
sat  up  in  bed  and  embraced  her  affectionately,  as- 
suring her  that  she  had  not  changed  from  his  little 
girl  of  a  year  ago;  but  his  heart  went  faint  within 
him  at  sight  of  her  rich  dark  beauty. 

Greetings  over  at  the  House,  she  returned  to  sit 
with  him.  As  she  passed  down  the  hill,  she  stole  a 
glance  toward  Marah's  cottage.  She  had  heard 
Antonio  tell  Pepito  that  he  and  Paul  were  going 
to  the  lumber  camp  tomorrow  to  return  Saturday 
morning.  Then  he  must  be  at  Eldhurst  now 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  293 

She  colored  angrily  and  walked  rapidly  on  to  the 
door  of  the  open  church.  Here  she  was,  fresh  from 
a  gay  social  season  in  the  East,  enriched  by  new 
friends  and  a  broader  experience,  with  the  wide 
world  of  Music  spread  out  to  invite  her  future — 
here  was  she,  at  home  but  a  few  hours,  staring  up  at 
the  hut  he  called  home,  sighing  like  some  love-sick 
kitchen-maid,  asking  herself  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  one  who —  She  banged  the  vestry  door  with 
something  of  her  old-time  vehemence. 

In  the  dim  church,  she  paused  to  draw  from  her 
pocket  a  crumpled  letter  sheet,  traced  in  a  delicate 
German  hand: 


"  You  will  comeback  to  us,  Rose  of  the  West,  for 
what  were  life  without  you  ?  A  year  more  here 
for  us  both,  then  to  mein  loved  Berlin — and  then  ? 
God  be  thanked,  your  '  No  '  was  qualified.  You  will 
try  to  love  me,  you  said.  Relent  and  let  me  come 
to  you  there  in  your  big  West  so  I  may  help  you  to 
try. 

Ah,  we  were  all  so  proud  of  you  last  night.  Your 
voice  was  superb.  Living  or  dying,  I  shall  hear  it. 
That  last  encore — why  did  you  choose  that  par- 
ticular one  ?  It  was  tearful  with  farewells,  a  dirge 
of  sundering  ties.  Yet — was  I  mistaken  ? — under 
and  below  ran  a  current  of  gladness,  the  gladness  of 
outspread  wings,  the  joy  of  home-returning,  the 
thrill  of  fond  expectation.  So  my  violin  sings  when 
I  am  glad  in  spite  of  myself. 

All   the   others   were   weeping   because    of  your 


294  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

'  Farewell  !  farewell  !     No  word  we  know 
So  full  of  love,  so  full  of  woe.' 

but  I  because  of  that  little  joy-note  ;  for  it  roused 
my  old  fear  that  there  is  another,  one  more  worthy, 
one  better  beloved.  Oh,  tell  me  that  my  fear  is 
groundless  ! 

Devotedly  yours, 

J.  von  B." 

She  crumpled  the  letter  impatiently  and  moved 
slowly  up  the  darkened  church,  passing  so  close  to 
the  young  man  behind  the  arch  near  the  door  that 
he  might  have  reached  out  and  touched  her.  (Dis- 
satisfied already  with  '  viewing  her  from  the 
porch  '!) 

She  went  to  the  side  door  next  the  Rectory  and 
called  to  her  uncle  through  his  open  window : 

"  I'm  going  to  try  my  wings  in  the  little  old 
choir-loft  again.  Can  you  hear?  It  will  either  kill 
or  cure." 

But  she  did  not  ascend  at  once.  She  sauntered 
about,  examining  with  childish  interest  the  old  fa- 
miliar objects,  the  altar-cloth,  the  portraits  and  the 
stained  windows.  Longest  of  all  she  stood  gazing 
up  at  the  lift-sized  portrait  of  Madame  Emelie 
Huntington-Eldreth,  with  its  lofty  brow  and 
dreamy,  haunting  eyes. 

They  were  his  eyes.  The  resemblance  was  more 
than  fancied.  The  whole  face  was  his — it  seemed 
so  to-day  more  than  ever — feature  for  feature : 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  295 

"  A  mouth  for  mastery  and  manful  work, 
A  certain  brooding  sweetness  of  the  eyes, 
A  brow,  the  harbor  of  grave  thoughts,  and  hair 
Saxon  of  hue." 

And  it  had  been  by  just  such  a  dim  light  that  she 
had  been  held  by  that  last  unforgotten  gaze,  there 
on  the  rain-drenched  hillslope,  now  a  year  ago. 
She  had  swooned,  yet  she  had  been  dimly 
conscious  of  what  followed.  All  that  night  and 
during  the  tedious  journey  eastward,  she  had  re- 
viewed those  few  crisis  moments.  She  recalled  the 
blackness,  the  dizzy,  sinking  sensation;  then  strong 
arms  had  lifted  her,  carried  her  .  .  .  And 
then?  She  strove  for  more.  Had  he  kissed  her? 
Had  he  dared?  Ay,  her  lips  had  throbbed  and 
burned  all  the  hours  of  that  long  night  as  she  tossed 
about  on  his  bed.  She  had  dreamed  that  he  had 
dared;  had  dreamed  it  many  and  many  a  night — 
and  she  had  not  always  been  asleep  when  she 
dreamed  it ! 

She  had  neglected  her  traveling  companions,  par- 
ticularly DeLacy,  who  had  suddenly  grown  unbear- 
able to  her;  she  had  cared  little  for  change  of  scene, 
for  the  new  life,  even  for  music.  She  sought  soli- 
tude. She  wanted  to  be  much  alone  with  this  new 
and  wonderful  awakening  of  her  woman  nature. 
She  strove  to  live  again  the  transition  moments  of 
her  awakening.  Over  and  again  in  memory  she 


296  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

felt  the  magnetic  strength  of  his  arms  enfolding  her 
as  though  never  to  let  her  go;  the  strokes  of  the 
heart  against  which  she  had  lain,  the  pressure  of  his 
smooth  sensitive  lips  on  her  mouth,  stinging  her 
swooning  senses  back  to  life  with  all  the  shock  and 
ecstasy  of  love's  first  kiss.  And  in  this  memory 
(purely  physical,  for,  unlike  him,  she  never  ideal- 
ized) she  luxuriated  with  all  the  intensity  of  her 
tropical  temperament,  till,  hugged  nightly  to  her 
unsatisfied  heart,  it  grew  to  be  a  sweet  torment — 
her  one  lover's  one  caress. 

Her  lover,  her  "  low-born  lover  " !  How  her 
pride  had  risen  and  struggled  with  her  heart  those 
first  few  months,  till  she  grew  weary  of  the  cease- 
less strife.  On  the  one  side  birth,  position,  pride, 
thought  of  her  father,  of  her  world.  On  the  other 
side  their  boy-and-girl  days  and  the  memory  of 
them,  his  gentleness  and  protection;  then  those  last 
swift  days,  the  thrill  of  his  touch,  the  deep  splendor 
of  his  eyes,  the  haven  of  his  arms,  the  sweetness  and 
fire  of  his  kiss.  O  futile  strife,  old  as  the  heart  is 
old! 

When  her  pride  was  ascendant,  she  prayed  to 
meet  him  once  more,  only  once;  that  she  might 
freeze,  wither,  crush  him  and  his  presumption  in 
having  dared  to  look  at  her,  his  master's  daughter, 
with  that  look  in  his  eyes.  Then  when  her  love 
swung  uppermost,  she  had  scarcely  the  strength  to 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  297 

repress  the  longing  that  had  sprung  full-grown  in 
her  passionate  soul  at  the  one  touch  of  his  lips,  the 
mad  yearning  to  return  to  him,  to  cast  herself  at 
his  feet  and  in  the  ecstacy  of  self-abandonment  be 
wholly  his,  defiant  of  position,  father,  the  world 
and  its  laws. 

Her  homesickness,  her  loyalty  to  the  "  big  West," 
and  all  things  Western  had  been  her  heart's  allies. 
And  one  day  when  she  was  more  homesick  than 
usual,  she  had  written  (realizing  that  he  would 
never  take  the  initiative  and  why),  just  a  kind  little 
letter,  altogether  friendly,  about  the  ranch  and  the 
mission  school  and  how  she  meant  to  help  him, 
if  she  might,  and  in  others  ways  to  be  a  better 
girl. 

How  would  he  reply?  Did  he  care?  She  had 
not  succeeded  in  breaking  his  self-command  that 
last  night.  Could  it  be  that  his  indifference  was 
genuine  ?  No,  no.  Scores  of  trifling  circumstances 
recurred  to  her  mind  in  contradiction.  He  had 
loved  her  all  his  life;  but  she  had  position  and 
wealth,  and  so  his  pride  had  kept  him  silent  and 
would  till  the  end  of  time,  unless  .... 

Then  his  letter  had  come,  quite  promptly,  his  un- 
mistakable handwriting.  It  had  lain  on  the  piano 
till  she  finished  her  lesson  and  her  vocal  master  was 
gone.  Then  she  had  seized  and  opened  it  greedily, 
to  find — her  own  letter  torn  into  careful  strips,  and 
not  a  word  besides. 


298  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Ah,  heaven's  mercy!  She  had  gone  wild  then. 
In  her  mad  determination  to  "  do  something  des- 
perate, something  for  which  he'd  be  sorry,"  she  fully 
resolved  upon  an  immediate  acceptance  of  Herbert 
DeLacy,  upon  the  shameless  waiting  with  him  for 
his  legal  release. 

But  some  guardian  spirit  had  directed  that  De- 
Lacy be  out  of  Boston  for  the  fortnight,  and  upon 
his  return,  at  first  sight  of  him,  her  revulsion  of 
feeling  was  complete. 

Next  she  intentionally  encouraged  another  long- 
insistent  suitor,  a  handsome  young  virtuoso,  a  fel- 
low-student in  the  conservatory  who  had  already 
distinguished  himself  as  an  amateur  violinist.  He 
was  altogether  desirable  from  everybody's  stand- 
point— wealthy,  high-born,  in  fact  allied  to  the  no- 
bility itself;  and  he  and  Richard  had  become  fast 
friends  during  her  brother's  visit  to  Boston. 

With  true  Western  frankness  she  assured  him 
that  she  "  wanted  to  love  him,"  and  "  would  try 
hard!  "  But  alas!  love  does  not  come  even  by  hard 
trying.  And  besides,  love  was  already  securely  en- 
throned. No,  not  her  distinguished  foreign  suitor. 
No,  she,  Lilys  Eldreth,  heaven-and-earth-favored, 
born  to  the  social  purple,  she  loved  one  of  her 
father's  hired  men,  no  birth,  no  blood,  worse  than 
no  name,  with  the  shadow  of  a  gibbet  over  his  life! 
one  low  enough  and  vulgar  enough  and  insulting 


THIS  WAS.  A  MAN.  299 

enough  to  tear  and  return  a  lady's  letter.  Oh,  the 
humiliation  of  it  turned  her  sick. 

Yet  that  same  night,  perhaps,  she  would  dream 
of  pattering  rain,  of  a  darkened  room,  of  an  em- 
brace from  whose  passionate  strength  her  father 
was  trying  vainly  to  withdraw  her;  and  she  would 
wake  to  weep  out  her  loneliness  and  heart-sickness, 
to  pray  to  die  if  only  first  she  might  once  more 
feel  the  clasp  of  his  arms,  the  pressure  of  his  lips. 
Ah,  if  the  struggle  had  been  sharp  before  the  episode 
of  the  returned  letter,  afterward  it  was  fierce,  to  the 
death.  For  if  her  pride  was  undying,  her  heart 
admitted  no  defeat. 

But  as  she  now  stood  in  the  darkened  church,  she 
told  herself  that  pride  had  fully  conquered;  that 
it  was  ended.  Never  again  to  see  him — that  was 
all  she  asked  of  heaven. 

And  all  the  while,  Paul  was  studying  with  wildly 
beating  heart,  the  changes  a  year  had  made  in  her : 
greater  suppleness  of  movement,  fuller  redness  of 
lips,  a  deeper,  more  subdued  light  in  the  eyes  and 
the  subtle,  irresistible  aura  of  the  full-blown  woman 
breathing  about  her.  Her  dress  clung  to  her  more 
rounded  figure  in  the  same  graceful,  individual  way. 
Were  she  a  princess  she  could  not  hold  herself  more 
royally.  Her  whole  dark  passionate  beauty  was 
intensified  by  a  something  he  hesitated  to  name. 
Was  it  that  she  had  suffered  ?  Heaven  forbid !  and 


300  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

a  great  wave  of  protective  tenderness  swept  him 
at  the  mere  thought.  Whatever  the  agent,  her  al- 
ways potent  attraction  for  him  was  increased  many 
fold,  and  holding  there  to  the  arch,  he  registered 
an  inconsidered  vow  to  return  to  Ward  and  to 
safety  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

She  ascended  to  the  gallery  and  he  held  his  breath 
expectantly.  But  she  did  not  sing,  only  took  a  tone, 
swelled  it  softly  in  a  gradual  crescendo,  held  it  with 
purity  and  power  and  let  it  throb  away  through  a 
slow  diminuendo,  like  the  dying  intonation  of  a 
rich-toned  bell.  Then  she  came  down  the  steps, 
trilling  some  light  staccato  notes  softly  as  she  moved, 
shaking  out  the  liquid  tones  into  the  stillness  of  the 
•church  like  the  bubbling  cadence  of  a  nightingale. 
Lastly,  she  took  the  octave  tone  above  and  ran  back, 
the  eight  golden  notes  gliding  down  one  into  the 
other,  "  a  brook  of  silvery  laughter  through  the 
air." 

It  meant  nothing  to  the  watching  man  when  she 
paused  with  hands  grasping  the  side-rail  and  stood 
looking  again  for  a  full  minute  up  at  the  portrait 
of  her  grand-dame ;  but  when  she  was  safely  across 
the  Rectory  yard  and  in  the  house,  he  went  down  on 
his  knees  before  the  portrait,  his  lips  pressed  upon 
the  side-rail  where  it  was  still  warm  from  her 
hands. 

For  some  time  Lilys  sat  reading  and  chatting  with 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  301 

her  uncle  and  when  by  and  by  he  dozed,  she  re- 
mained at  his  side,  idly  reading  a  magazine  article, 
a  short  vivid  allegory,  "  The  Potency  of  Love." 
How  a  forester  had  planted  a  climbing  Rose  be- 
tween a  straight  young  Poplar  and  a  stunted  Oak; 
how,  because  the  Rose  leaned  to  the  stunted  tree 
for  her  earlier  support  and  because  of  the  Oak's 
jealous  anxiety  lest  one  fiber  of  her  being  find  sup- 
port other  than  his  own  strength,  the  dwarf  Oak  had 
straightened  and  strengthened  and  striven  upward. 
In  the  end  the  forester  had  come,  bent  on  destruc- 
tion, had  untwined  the  tender  clasp  of  the  young 
Rose  and  given  her  to  the  more  favored  Poplar, 
but  so  improved  was  the  Oak  that  he  had  changed 
his  mind  about  the  intended  destruction. 

She  reread  the  article,  for  there  was  something 
oddly  familiar  in  the  phraseology,  glanced  at  the 
author's  name  and  when  her  uncle  awoke,  asked : 

"  Uncle  Edwin,  I  have  been  thinking :  If  there 
is  so  much  power  in  love,  as  some  claim,  why  doesn't 
Dix's  love  for  Nina  do  more  for  him?  And  why 
did  not  papa's  love  for  mama  make  a  better  man  of 
him,  a  man  like  you?  Some  one  has  said  that  we 
grow  like  what  we  worship." 

Her  questions  told  him  how  great  was  the  change 
in  her.  A  year  ago  she  would  not  have  asked  them. 

"  But  there  are  so  many  kinds  of  love,"  he  said 
in  reply,  "  as  many  kinds  as  there  are  individual 


302  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

temperaments.  Your  father  was  proud  of  your 
mother,  admired,  respected,  deferred  to  her;  but 
his  heart's  strongest  love  had  already  been  lavished 
upon  his  first  .  .  .  his  .  .  upon  Richard's  mother. 
As  to  Richard,  you  are  now  old  enough  to  under- 
stand that  he  loves  even  so  excellent  a  woman,  in 
the  thoroughly  masculine  way,  that  is,  selfishly, 
sensually.  It  is  singular,"  he  mused,  "  that  the  men 
of  the  house  of  Eldreth  for  generations  back  have 
had  the  power  of  inspiring  love  in  women  morally 
their  superiors, — from  your  brother's  fiancee  back 
to  Emelie  Huntington's  mother's  mother, — in  each 
case  a  love  but  little  short  of  tragic  in  its  capacity 
for  blind  devotion.  Such  power  of  rousing  to  utter 
self-effacement  seems  inherent  in  the  Eldreth  blood. 
The  history  of  your  house  proves  it.  But  you  ask 
me  why  such  love  for  such  women  has  done  no 
more  for  these  men.  '  We  grow  like  what  we  wor- 
ship '  is  but  a  half  truth.  While  the  object  of  our 
love  in  part  determines  the  kind  of  love,  yet  the 
nature  of  the  person  loving  has  more  to  do  with  it 
than  the  person  beloved.  In  the  cases  you  mention, 
worthy  objects  are  loved  unworthily.  On  the  other 
hand,  many  unworthy  ones  are  loved  far  beyond 
their  deserving,  this  being  invariably  true  where  the 
soul  of  the  worshiper  is  pure  and  given  to  idealiz- 
ing. 

Dante  created  a  poet's  dream  from  a  flesh-and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  303 

blood  woman;  and  I  have  in  mind  an  obscure  mod- 
ern instance  in  some  points  resembling  the  case  of 
the  immortal  Florentine.  This  humble  lover's  is 
likewise  a  poet's  soul,  his  love  a  lonely,  subjective 
passion;  its  object  invested  with  ideal  virtues  as 
entirely  his  own  creations  as  are  the  verses  of  his 
making.  He  loves  love  and  the  woman  both  in 
one,  love  in  his  high  conception  of  it.  She  will 
ever  remain  in  ignorance  of  his  adoration,  but  what- 
ever her  merit,  he  will  always  hold  her  more  than 
worthy,  and  will  strive  himself  to  deserve  the  heights 
on  which  he  has  placed  her.  Thus  will  his  great 
unrequited  love  work  to  his  own  good  as  truly  as 
though  she  were  worthy  of  it  and  reciprocal.  To 
his  greater  good,  it  may  be,  because  unrequited ;  for 
'  of  times  the  thing  our  life  misses  helps  more  than 
the  thing  that  it  gets.'  Besides,  it  is  the  loving  that 
is  beneficial,  not  possession  of  the  beloved." 

His  answer  told  her  much;  more  than  her  ques- 
tions had  told  him;  far  more  than  he  intended. 
There  was  a  strange  sparkling  light  in  her  eyes,  a 
vivid  spot  on  either  cheek.  She  arose  slowly,  laid 
aside  the  magazine  and  reached  for  her  parasol 
which  she  had  brought  in  lieu  of  a  hat.  The  Rector 
smothered  a  sigh  of  relief.  What  if  she  had  guessed 
at  his  meaning! 

"  Uncle,"  she  asked  with  abrupt  irrelevance, 
"who  is  'Allan  Marsden?'" 


304  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

He  colored  and  stammered,  seeking  to  frame  a 
reply  at  once  truth  and  evasive;  but  she  gave  him 
one  swift,  enlightened  glance,  then  said  in  a  tone 
of  unspeakable  bitterness : 

"  Your  poet-lover  is  to  be  congratulated  upon 
all  that  his  well-controlled  spiritual  love  has  wrought 
for  himself.  He  has  seen  to  it  that  this  etherial  pas- 
sion shall  benefit  no  one  else ;  but  it  must  be  admitted 
that  his  preventive  measures  could  never  have  origi- 
nated in  the  heart  of  a  gentleman.  Even  from  the 
view-point  of  unworthy  flesh-and-blood,  he  is — 
a  coward.  Tell  him  so." 

And  before  the  astonished,  bewildered  Rector 
could  open  his  lips,  she  was  gone. 

Paul  was  untying  his  horse  in  front  of  the  church 
as  the  girl  came  out.  Instead  of  passing  out  of  the 
Rectory  gate,  her  nearest  way,  she  went  round 
through  the  church-yard  and  down  past  the  hitch- 
ing-rack. 

The  eyes  of  the  two  met;  hers  looked  beyond 
him,  over  him,  through  him,  but  saw  him  not;  and 
with  proudly  lifted  head,  she  passed  him  in  freez- 
ing silence. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  305 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

READING  BETWEEN  LINES. 

"  MAMMA  HELENE,"  complained  Lilys  late  the 
next  afternoon,  "  talk  to  me,  tell  me  something. 
I'm  so  ....  It  is  so  ...' 

She  sat  down  listlessly  at  her  old  nurse's  feet  and 
leaned  her  head  wearily  in  her  lap.  She  had  left 
Lena  to  finish  unpacking  the  several  trunks,  and  slip- 
ping into  her  thinnest,  coolest  Vassar  gown,  had 
joined  the  housekeeper  who  sat  sewing  in  the  west 
veranda.  The  House  was  deserted ;  a  summer  quiet 
hung  over  the  entire  place. 

"  So — what,  dearie  ? "  and  Helene  lovingly 
stroked  the  flossy  hair  and  patted  the  soft  cheek 
and  neck,  "  You  aren't  homesick  for  Boston  and 
the  tenderfoot  beau  already?  " 

Lilys  made  a  wry  face.  "  I  should  say  not !  You 
know  I  never  wanted  to  leave;  and  there  hasn't 
been  an  hour  during  the  past  year  that  I  haven't 
been  homesick  for  home  and  all  of  you.  I  only 
meant,"  and  involuntarily  her  eyes  sought  the  lone 
cottage  on  the  left  hill  opposite,  "  that  things  here 
at  Eldhurst  now  are  so  .  .  ."  She  absently  slipped 


3o6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  rings  from  her  ringers,  piled  them  into  one 
hand,  and  shifted  them  from  palm  to  palm.  "  Well, 
so  ...  different,  you  know." 

"  I  don't  think  you'll  find  it  so,  dearie.  Nothing 
and  nobody  has  changed  up  here.  Fred  is  coming 
from  Denver  next  week  to  practice  with  Nina  for 
the  Chautauqua,  since  you  think  you  can't  go  with 
her.  And  even  after  the  wedding,  week  after  next, 
Dickie'll  be  right  here  the  same  as  ever,  and  how 
nice  it  will  be  for  you  girls  to  be  together.  And 
you'll  have  company  this  summer  same  as  ever  and 
a  nice  time;  so  how  will  it  be  different?  Things 
have  changed  some  over  there,"  nodding  toward 
Quarry  Town,  "  Bradley's  resigned,  and  Schmidt's 
in  his  place.  Gustav  married  Hilma — did  you 
know? — and  it  was  high  time  he  did,  I  should  say. 
Ruth's  living  with  the  Schmidts  till  her  father's 
ready  for  her,  or  till  she's  married.  Paul's  at  Ward 
and  will  soon  take  his  mother " 

"  That's  what  you  can  talk  to  me  about,  Mamma 
Helene,"  put  in  Lilys,  "  Tell  me  about  Marah,  all 
you  know  about  her,  and  let  me  ask  questions. 
Papa  and  Dix  won't  be  up  to  dinner  for  an  hour. 
Uncle  always  puts  me  off,  but  you  shall  not." 

Helene  fastened  her  thread  and  bit  it  off  before 
speaking.  "  Ain't  much  to  tell.  She  was  a  serv- 
ant like  the  rest  of  us,  only  the  Allans  made  much 
of  her  and  she  got  spoiled.  She  sang  in  the  choir 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  307 

and  sat  in  the  Rectory  parlor  sometimes.  It  was 
just  before  they  hired  her  that  the  old  master,  your 
grandpa,  died,  and  your  Pa  came  here  to  take  hold 
of  things.  Dickie  was  about  two  years  old ;  and  had 
been  sent  here  to  live  after  his  mother  died  some- 
where in  the  South.  I  never  saw  her,  and  your  Pa 
never  talked  about  her,  though  I  know  he  must  have 
thought  a  sight  of  her." 

"  Uncle  says  he  loved  her  better  than  he  did  my 
Mamma." 

"  Well,  if  she  was  any  prettier  and  nicer  than 
Miss  Edith,  she  must  have  deserved  it;  for  Miss 
Edith  was  an  angel,  so  sweet  and  gentle,  yet  proud 
and  high-notioned  enough  to  suit  your  Pa  all  right. 
After  she  came  to  the  Rectory,  where  Mr.  Eldreth 
had  gone  often  enough,  for  he  always  liked  Mr. 
Allen,  now  he  went  more  than  often,  and  we  all 
knew  why. 

One  night,  after  Miss  Edith  had  been  home  about 
six  months,  Manuel  Menendez  and  I  were  out  there 
in  the  garden.  Manuel  was  head-shepherd  and  be- 
longed at  the  Lower  Ranch,  but  he  used  to  be  up 
here  a  good  deal.  Talk  about  good-looking  men! 
That  Spaniard  had  them  all  beaten;  for  Max  says 
he  was  a  Spaniard  and  no  Mexican.  There  wasn't 
a  girl  at  Eldhurst  but  would  have  followed  him 
round  for  one  look  from  those  black  eyes  of  his, 
for  all  there  was  some  very  good  reason  why  he 


3o8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

had  left  his  own  country.  Well,  as  I  said,  we  were 
out  in  the  garden  and  your  Pa  came  walking  up 
from  the  Rectory.  He  saw  us  and  stopped  and 
said : 

"  '  Fix  it  up  here  at  the  House,  Helene,  for  I'm 
going  to  bring  you  home  a  mistress  soon.' 

"  '  Yes,  sir,  that  I  will,'  I  says,  and  he  went  on  in. 

"'Wonder  which  one?'  whispers  Manuel,  and 
I've  always  thought  your  Pa  heard  him,  for  how  he 
did  turn  against  Manuel  after  that!  " 

"  What  did  he  mean  by  '  which  one  '  ?  "  inter- 
rupted Lilys. 

"  Why,  Miss  Edith  or  Marah." 

"  What !  my  mother  or  her  maid  ?  " 

"  Just  so.  You  see,  once  in  a  great  while,  before 
Miss  Edith  came,  Mr.  Eldreth  used  to  take  Dickie 
down  to  the  Rectory,  and  as  I  told  you,  Marah  was 
allowed  in  the  parlor.  Dickie  took  a  great  liking  to 
her,  used  to  run  away  and  go  down  there;  the  only 
thing  your  Pa  ever  spanked  him  for.  Manuel  told 
me  (you  can  believe  it  or  not)  that  he'd  seen  Mr. 
Eldreth  and  Marah  Maitland  out  driving  together 
after  dark.  But  Manuel  from  the  first  time  he  ever 
set  eyes  on  her,  was  so  in  love  with  Marah  that  he 
was  jealous  of — Mr.  Allan!  Being  Spanish,  I  guess 
that  was  nature.  But  I  always  made  allowances  for 
what  Manuel  saw  and  heard  about  Marah. 

"  Well,  the  very  next  night  I  was  inside,  and  I 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  309 

couldn't  help  hearing  some  voices  outside  in  the 
porch  here.  It  was  Mr.  Eldreth  and  Manuel,  and 
Manuel  was  saying : 

"  '  I'm  going  to  house-keeping  myself  tomorrow,' 
says  he,  and  then  I  did  listen,  and  I  could  see 
through  the  blinds.  Your  Pa  was  sitting  smoking. 
He  laughed  and  said :  '  That's  a  good  arrangement, 
for  it  keeps  you  here  and  her  too,  if  that  will  suit 
you — right  here  at  the  House,  I  mean.  She  can 
still  be  housekeeper  and  you  can  run  things  at  the 
Lower  Ranch.'  What?  Why,  of  course  he  meant 
me.  Manuel  had  been  hanging  round  the  House 
for  months.  But 

"  '  It's  Marah,'  says  Manuel. 

"  '  Good  God ! '  says  Mr.  Eldreth,  jumping  up, 
'  That's  a  lie ! '  He  said  worse  than  that ;  he  swore 
awful,  and  his  face  was  like  this  sheet,  and  his  eyes 
were  terrible. 

"  '  No,  it's  not/  Manuel  says,  his  eyes  a-glittering 
too,  '  ask  her.' 

"  '  You — you  have  dared  to  make  love  to  her, 
when  you  knew — '  '  Not  I,'  breaks  in  Manuel,  and 
he  was  the  coolest  of  the  two.  *  She's  known  I've 
wanted  her;  she  didn't  need  to  be  told.  Late  to- 
night while  you  were  still  at  the  Rectory  she  called 
me.  I  was  at  the  gate.  And  I  don't  need  to  tell 
you  that  I  went  to  her.  What  was  said  is  our  own 
business ;  but  she  is  to  be  mine — all  mine.  Mariana, 


310  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

manana,'  he  kept  saying  and  smiling1  so  that  his 
white  teeth  showed.  '  Manana' s '  the  Spanish  for 
'  tomorrow/  you  know. 

"  Then  Mr.  Eldreth  he  laughed  and  laughed.  It 
wasn't  right  laughing,  but  awful  to  listen  to. 

"  '  I  congratulate  you/  he  says. 

"  Manuel  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  says  what 
I  didn't  hear  all  of,  but  something  about  it  being  in 
Spanish  nature  to  give  a  woman  about  as  much  as 
in  English  nature. 

"  Mr.  Eldreth  quit  laughing  and  came  close  to  the 
other  man  and  his  fists  doubled  together. 

"  '  You  know  what  I  can  do — or  rather  stop  do- 
ing/ he  says  in  a  queer  tone.  I  never  did  know 
what  he  meant,  but  those  were  his  words. 

"  Manuel  got  pale  and  his  eyes  glittered  more,  but 
he  stood  up  very  straight  and  looked  your  Pa  right 
in  the  eyes  and  says  he : 

"  '  Yes,  I  know.  But  you  can't  keep  me  from 

living  while  I  live.  So  do  it,  and  be '  You 

know  just  how  men  talk  when  they're  excited.  It 
was  about  even  between  them,  for  if  Mr.  Eldreth 
looked  like  a  lord,  Manuel  looked  a  prince.  And  I 
was  so  afraid  they'd  quarrel  worse  that  I  interrupted 
them. 

"  Manuel  told  truth,  though  nobody  knows  to 
this  day  if  there  was  a  wedding.  The  very  next 
day  she  left  the  Allans  and  went  to  live  with  him 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  311 

there  on  the  hill.  And  the  next  day  came  the 
wedding  at  the  Rectory,  with  only  Sarah  and  me  as 
witnesses.  And  then  the  next  day  was  Sunday,  the 
last  time  Marah  sang  in  the  choir,  or  went  to  church, 
for  that  matter.  I  was  there  to  take  care  of  Dickie, 
and  I  had  an  awful  time  with  him,  for  when  Marah 
came  down  the  aisle  past  the  Eldreth  pew,  he  just 
kicked  and  cried  after  her  till  your  Pa  had  to  take 
him.  I  never  could  do  much  with  Dickie,  you 
know. 

"  Well,  none  of  us  more  than  caught  sight  of 
Marah  for  most  a  year.  There  was  them  two  girls 
that  had  lived  together  so  long,  married  in  a  day  of 
each  other,  homing  right  in  plain  sight,  and  never 
once  speaking.  Poor  work  I  made  trying  to  take 
Marah's  place  with  your  Ma's  clothes  and  hair.  She 
told  me  more  than  once.  '  You're  good,  Helene,' 
she'd  say  in  her  sweet  way,  '  but  you're  not  Marah.' 

"  The  wedding  was  in  May,  and  it  was  along 
about  February  that  Manuel  was  .  .  .  killed,  you 
know.  Some  of  the  mill-hands  found  him,  and  he 
was  brought  down  and  buried  up  there  by  their  cot- 
tage. Your  Pa  didn't  go  a-near,  and  wouldn't  let 
any  of  us ;  though,  if  it  hadn't  been  your  Ma  was 
as  she  was;  I  believe  she'd  have  gone  to  Marah  in 
spite  of  your  Pa,  for  I  tell  you  she  had  a  will  of  her 
own.  But  her  baby  was  about  to  come, — you — and 
then  she  says  to  me,  '  Oh,  Helene,  I  must  have 


3i2  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Marah  now.  She's  such  a  good  nurse.  Tell  her  to 
forget  it  all  and  come  to  me.  I  may  never  get  up.' 
For  she  was  always  delicate-like. 

"  Your  Pa  had  been  called  to  Pueblo  some  days 
before  and  he  did  n't  get  home  till  the  day  after  you 
was  born,  too  late  to  see  your  Ma  alive. 

"  I  went  up  after  Marah  myself,  an  awful  stormy 
March  day,  and  she  was  pale  and  poorly  herself. 
Come  to  find  out  she'd  a  baby  of  her  own  three  or 
four  days  old,  not  a  living  soul  with  her  the  whole 
time.  It  had  been  storming  nearly  a  week.  But 
bad  as  she  felt,  she  says  '  I'll  go,'  and  goes  in  and 
gets  her  baby  and  starts.  I  hurried  on  down  after 
Mr.  Allan ;  your  Ma  had  asked  for  him ;  but  he  was 
at  Howard's,  and  by  the  time  I  got  up  there  against 
the  storm,  got  him  and  we  reached  here,  it  was  all 
over.  There  laid  your  Ma  with  you  by  her  and  she 
was  too  far  gone  to  speak  to  poor  Mr.  Allan,  though 
she  did  try  so  hard. 

"  You  know  the  rest ;  how  your  Pa  came  next 
day  too  late,  and  all  about  the  funeral  with  flowers 
and  telegrams  from  everywhere;  for  I've  told  you 
time  and  again.  There's  your  Pa  and  Dickie  now 
and  you  aren't  dressed  yet  for  dinner.  Run,  dearie; 
men  never  like  to  wait,  'specially  for  their  dinner." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  313 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

BROTHER  AND  SISTER. 

THROUGHOUT  the  dinner,  Lilys  kept  looking  curi- 
ously at  her  father.  So  he  had  loved  Paul's  mother, 
better  even  than  he  had  loved  her  mother.  That 
accounted  for  several  things,  but  made  as  many 
others  mysterious.  Throughout  the  meal,  too,  she 
could  feel  his  gaze  fixed  meditatively  upon  her  face. 

As  they  were  about  to  leave  the  dining-room, 
he  took  first  one  of  her  jeweled  hands,  then  the 
other,  and  examined  her  rings,  saying  laughingly : 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  that  big  DeLacy  diamond. 
Are  we  going  to  have  a  spinster  in  the  House? 
YouVe  past  twenty-one,  Little  Mistress." 

"  Oh,  she's  turned  Bertie  down  flat,"  broke  in  her 
brother,  "  wrote  me  so  himself.  He's  awfully  cut 
up.  Then  there  is  the  big  German  ruby,  a  gift  to 
the  Baron's  great-great  from  the  Emperor  Wil- 
liam's great-great.  But,  all  told,  she  may  be  wait- 
ing for  a  band  of  virgin  gold  from  '  The  Hopeful/ 
—eh  Babe?" 

Since  the  affair  of  the  letter  with  Marah,  Pierce 
Eldreth  had  not  once,  even  in  thought,  associated 


3H  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

his  daughter  with  his  former  employe.  Now  he 
turned  and  swept  her  with  his  keen  glance,  while  a 
deep  scarlet  dyed  her  face.  A  year  ago  she  would 
have  railed  out  at  her  brother,  but  now  she  only 
clasped  her  hands  before  her  and  seemed  on  the 
verge  of  tears. 

"  Richard,"  said  his  father  sternly,  "  you  will 
apologize  to  your  sister  for  the  insult  you  have 
offered  her." 

With  his  back  to  his  father  and  his  laughing 
eyes  on  his  sister's  face,  the  young  man  made  his 
plea  for  pardon,  kissing  her  hands  in  mock  humility. 

"  Now  Lilys,  come  with  me,"  ordered  her  father. 

In  the  library  he  faced  her  angrily. 

"  What  did  Richard  mean  ?  Why  should  he  con- 
nect the  name  of  Lilys  Allan-Eldreth  with  that  of 
one  who,  till  within  the  past  three  months,  has  been 
one  of  your  father's  servants  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  hate  him,  I  hate  him !  with  all  my  soul,  I 
despise  him.  Do  not  speak  his  name  to  me,  ever," 
cried  the  girl  vehemently;  then  in  a  colder  tone,  after 
a  pause,  "  I  shall  doubtless  accept  the  great  ruby, 
and  he  will  write  you  when  I  have  written  him." 

Pierce  Eldreth's  face  beamed  with  a  gratified 
smile,  but  he  at  once  proceeded  to  commit  what  he 
would  have  pronounced  the  blunder  of  his  life. 

"  That  is  well.  But  some  three  months  ago  I 
was  handed  a  letter  addressed  to  this  fellow  in  your 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  315 

handwriting.  Now  that  you  have  spent  a  year  in 
the  East,  now  that  you  are  a  year  older  and  a  year 
wiser,  you  will  thank  me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  de- 
stroyed it  on  the  spot.  It  was  doubtless  some 
trivial  order  about  your  belongings  here  at  home ; 
for  there  could  be  no  other  excuse  for  addressing 
such  as  he.  But  if  you  have  even  a  kindly  feeling  to- 
ward him,  gratitude  for  services  rendered,  let  it  end 
here  once  for  all.  If  you  ever  so  much  as  speak  to 
him,  I'll  shut  you  up  in  St.  Mary's  so  tight  you'll 
never  see  out.  I'm  in  deadly  earnest,  girl.  I  would 
rather  kill  you  with  my  own  hand  than  suffer  the 
disgrace  of  hearing  your  name  linked  with  that  of 
Marah  Maitland's  son.  You  understand  me?" 

During  this  entire  speech  the  girl  had  stood,  her 
face  turned  from  her  father.  Now  at  its  close,  she 
managed  a  faint  affirmative,  in  what  seemed  to  him 
a  choked  voice.  But  no  sooner  had  he  quitted  the 
room  than  she  went  dancing  down  the  hall  a  very 
whirl  of  bubbling  animal  spirits. 

At  the  dining-room  door,  she  snatched  and  kissed 
Helene  with  all  but  fatal  results  to  the  tray  of 
Haviland  the  housekeeper  bore;  then  she  swooped 
in  upon  her  unsuspecting  brother  who  leaned  against 
the  mantel,  rolling  a  cigarette. 

"  Oh,  Dixie,"  she  cried,  flinging  herself  upon  him, 
"  hug  me,  hug  me — quick  !  " 

"  Well,  holy  smoke !  you'll  keep  a  second  or  two, 


3i6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

won't  you?"  saving  his  cigarette  and  moistening 
down  the  last  edge,  "  Now  try  to  live  while  I  light 
it.  ...  There!  How'll  you  have  it?"  putting  a 
languid  arm  about  her  shoulders. 

"  No,  here,  and  both  arms,  Dix  dear.  Now 
squeeze  me  up,  close  and  hard  and  strong." 

Mechanically  he  tightened  his  arms  about  her 
waist,  the  look  of  a  haloed  martyr  on  his  face. 

"  You  don't  call  that  hard?  I  mean  a  big  Wes- 
tern hug,  a  good-and-plenty  hug." 

Her  brother  groaned.  "  Well,  I'm  no  fruit- 
press.  You  remind  me  of  a  girl  I  read  about.  I'll 
tell  you.  Now  that  Paul's  gone  you've  no  one  to 
tell  you  stories,  though  I'm  afraid  I  can't  fetch  his 
fluent  Spanish-American  style.  Once  upon  a  time 
a  girl  had  a  date  (I  mean  a  tryst)  with  her  steady 
(excuse  me, — her  knight)  up  in  a  hill-cave,  some- 
thing like  Hanging  Rock,  you  know ' 

"  Oh  yes,  I  know.  And  was  it  raining  and  grow- 
ing dark?  " 

"  Little  girls  shouldn't  interrupt.  Well,  upon 
this  occasion  the  girl  got  there  first  (they  generally 
do!)  and  the  bear  to  whom  the  cave  happened  to 
belong  was  at  home,  and  he  knocked  on  the  butting- 
in  of  the  spoonies — resented  the  intrusion,  you 
understand.  Mr.  Bruin  sneaked  up  behind  her 
with  both  mighty  arms  extended,  grabbed  her  in  a 
death-grip  and  hugged  till  his  tongue  hung  out. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  317 

And,  would  you  believe  it?  that  girl  just  lolled  back, 
pretty  much  as  you're  doing  now,  and  murmured : 
'Tighter,  Bill!'  Mr.  Bruin  fell  dead;  and  the 
spoonies  are  handing  down  his  hide  to  a  numerous 
posterity.  Fact.  That  was  a  Colorado  girl,  re- 
cently returned  from  Boston,  don't  you  think?  " 

"  Sure!"  laughed  Lilys,  snuggling  in  closer  and 
pressing  his  arm  against  her  side,  "  Make  love  to 
me  grizzly  fashion,  smothery,  you  know.  And 
swear  that  you  love  me,  swear  it  as  though  you 
meant  it." 

"All  right,"  puffing  at  his  cigarette,  "  How'll 
you  have  that?  Mein  Gottl  ich  Hebe  dich!  .  .  . 
DIGS  mio!  te  amo,  te  adoro!  .  .  .  Good  Lord,  but 
I'm  languishing  for  you!  Is  that  fierce  enough 
for  you,  Babe?  " 

"  I'm  not  a  babe,  thank  you.  I'm  a  woman ;  I'm 
a  spinster;  though  I  shan't  stay  a  spinster  longer 
than — well,  two  weeks,  perhaps  only  one.  That's 
according." 

"  Wh-e-w ! " 

"  Oh,  kiss  me,  Dixie,  kiss  me  right  on  the  mouth 
while  I  count  ten." 

"  And  let  my  cigarette  go  out.  Hardly.  What's 
all  this  tremor  cordis  about  anyway, — in  the  name 
of  love's  lurid  delirium,  what?  Oh,  I  see.  You 
want  to  shut  your  eyes  and  make  believe  it's  the 
other  fellow?" 


3i8  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Lilys  looked  up  with  joy-brimmed  eyes  and  nod- 
ded rapidly. 

"  Do  I  look  like  him  ?  " 

"  Perhaps." 

"  Well,  you've  got  your  nerve.  Come,  lean  your 
avoirdupois  on  the  mantel  till  I  catch  breath.  Bert 
was  sure  right :  the  fellow  that  gets  you  will  have 
to  make  loving  his  exclusive  business  and  work  over- 
time, or  take  to  the  tall  uncut.  But  you'll  give  him 
his  money's  worth  now  you've  waked  up.  Do  you 
know,  you  are  deuced  good-looking,  child  ?  " 

"  Pshaw!  that's  only  a  compliment  for  yourself; 
every  one  says  we  are  enough  alike  to  be  twins," 
tip-toeing  till  her  cheek  pressed  his  and  turning  both 
faces  toward  the  mantel  glass,  "  and  we  are  alike  in 
a  whole  lot  of  other  ways,  though  that's  not  a  very 
pronounced  compliment  to  myself." 

"  Oh,  we're  blood-relation  all  right — the  p-i-o-u-s 
Huntingtons,  you  know,"  making  a  face  at  the 
double  reflection.  "  But  you  haven't  told  me  who 
my  prospective  brother  is.  The  violinist,  Baron 
Von  Snigglef ritz  ?  " 

"  Not  a  baron." 

"  A  count  ?  You're  pretty  enough  and  clever 
enough  and  rich  enough." 

"  No,"  impressively,  "  he  is  a  prince.  And  oh," 
tightening  her  arm  about  his  neck,  "  I'm  so  happy !  " 

Her  brother  eyed  her  for  symptoms  of  lunacy. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  319 

"  Ah,  of  some  microscopic  island,  sort  o'  Pris- 
oner-of-Zenda-ish." 

"  No,  of  a  very  important  kingdom." 

He  regarded  her  suspiciously. 

"  I  believe  you're  lying;  but  even  supposing.  Of 
course  he's  the  youngest  of  ten,  with  nothing  on 
earth  but  one  change  of  underclothing  and  some 
future-perfect  prospects." 

"  He  can  have  anything  he  wants." 

Richard  whistled  derisively. 

"  No  doubt, — afterwards.  You'll  hand  him  a 
racing  yacht  and  an  heir  to  the  throne  first  year 
without  the  asking.  But  I  trust  you've  made  His 
Highness  understand  that  half,  exactly  half,  of  Eld- 
hurst  is  Brother  Dickie's,  who'll  soon  be  needing  it. 
Nina's  named  the  day,"  rolling  up  his  eyes. 

But  she  wasn't  listening. 

"  And  he  has  a  divine  smile  and  deep  eyes  that 
make  your  heart  thump  and  heavy  gold-brown  hair 
that  falls  forward  and — oh,  he's  the  handsomest 
creature  the  gods  ever  made  six  feet  in  his  stock- 
ings—" 

"  Then  you've  seen  him  with  his  royal  boots  off? 
How  shocking!  " 

Lilys  only  laughed  her  girlish  cadenza  and  took 
up  her  eulogy : 

"  And  he's  b-i-g— 

"  And  can  squeeze  you  up  close  and  hard  and 


320  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

strong,  like  Young  Corbett  or  Mr.  Bruin.  Poor 
devil!  he  has  my  sympathy;  for  he'll  have  to  make 
strenuous,  no-intermission  love  twenty-four  hours 
out  of  every  twenty-four,  and  then  some." 

"  Just  won't  he,  though !  O  Dixie,"  half  choking 
him,  "  I  love  you  and  Papa  and  Nina  and  Helene 
and  Marah  and  Pepito — everybody  in  the  whole 
world,  don't  you?  " 

"  I'd  make  a  few  exceptions  to  your  list;  also  a 
few  additions." 

"And  isn't  it  lovely  here  at  home?  See  how 
those  beautiful  rambler  roses  have  hidden  all  the 
lattices  of  my  summer-house " 

"  Saved !  There  comes  Nina.  Here's  where 
little  Dickie  makes  his  escape." 

"  Dear  old  Nina !  She's  coming  to  practice  our 
duet  for  Sunday.  All  right,  go.  She'll  kiss  me 
and  hug  me  too." 

Richard  straightened  primly.  "  She  will  kiss  you 
just  once,  a  chaste  kiss  on  the  forehead,  and  you  may 
place  your  arm  lightly  (mark  you  !)  part  way  round 
her  waist  ...  So ;  but  not  for  too  long  a  time ;  for 
it  seems  to  be  in  the  Eldreth  blood  to  be  impulsive 
and  imprudent  and  impassioned, — and  all  the  other 
imps.  And  when  it's  ten,  out  you  go;  door  closes 
automatically,  and  you'll  best  be  on  the  proper  side 
of  it.  Now  if  it's  Turn-sinner-turn  music  you  two 
are  going  to  perpetrate,  you'll  kindly  excuse  me." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  321 

But  it  wasn't  sacred  music  that  Lilys  trilled  as  she 
ran  to  meet  her  friend.     It  was : 

For  lips  will  glow  and  he  must  not  go 
As  the  wind  and  wave.     Who  '11  know,  who  '11  know 
That  I  reeled  with  bliss  'neath  my  love's  warm  kiss  ? 
If  he  dares,  who  cares  ? 


322  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

AN      UNPRETENTIOUS      CHAMPION      OF      "  COMMON 
CLAY." 

"  BUT  you  can  not  bear  the  interview  here  in 
your  sickroom,  Edwin,  I'd  better  go  up  to  the  House 
and  have  him  come  to  the  office,"  protested  Pierce 
Eldreth,  as  Pepito  waited  their  decision  at  the  door 
the  next  afternoon. 

"  Oh,  yes  I  can/'  averred  the  Rector  quickly,  "  I 
must  know  the  outcome  of  this  most  important  con- 
ference. These  troubles  are  weighing  on  my  heart. 
I  shall  be  so  thankful  to  hear  the  final  settlement 
of  them!" 

Eldreth  turned  to  Pepito.     "  Where  is  he?  " 

"  At  home,  sir." 

"  Tell  him  that  Mr.  Allan  wishes  the  interview 
in  his  room  here  at  the  Rectory,  and  that  I  can 
give  him  a  short  time.  Then  order  the  carriage 
for  five-thirty." 

When  the  door  closed,  the  Rector  rose  to  his 
elbow  and  reached  for  the  newspaper  on  the  stand- 
table.  "  While  we  are  waiting,  I  have  something 
to  read  you  which  I  hope  may  weigh  with  you  in  the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  323 

matter  at  hand,  since  it  says  about  what  I  should  like 
to  say.  You  know  the  workingmen's  library  was 
dedicated  at  Ward  this  week.  Nolan  made  the 
dedicatory  address.  I  was  to  have  supplemented 
him,  but  was  unable  to  go.  Quite  a  number  went 
up  from  Denver  and  Boulder;  besides  Nolan  and 
his  son,  there  were  Ingham  and  Baxter  and  Went- 
worth  and  some  other  reporters.  John  went  from 
here  and  told  me  about  it.  '  Allan  Marsden  '  was 
in  the  audience,  and  when  it  came  to  the  informal 
talks  toward  the  close,  he  was  called  upon  to  speak, 
but  declined.  Wentworth,  as  usual,  was  copy-hunt- 
ing, and  as  he  shares  Nolan's  admiration  for  '  Mars- 
den,'  they  connived  for  their  own  ends.  While  a 
party  of  men  waited  at  the  hotel  for  the  down-train, 
Nolan  interviewed  the  young  man ;  Wentworth  and 
his  reportorial  pencil  did  the  rest.  John  said  the 
lad  was  much  in  earnest;  had  no  idea  he  was  talk- 
ing for  print;  doesn't  know  it  yet.  And  the  news- 
paperman laughed  and  said  he  intended  going  armed 
for  a  while  as  he  always  did  where  the  '  inter- 
viewed '  was  so  able-bodied  and  muscular.  Here  it 
is.  I'll  have  time  for  only  snatches." 

Eldreth  knitted  his  fingers  above  his  head,  and 
looked  politely  attentive — to  put  it  no  stronger. 

"  '  Yes,  I  have  always  pleaded  the  cause  of  the 
workingman,'  "  read  the  Rector,  "  '  These  men  who 
fell  the  trees  and  guide  the  plow,  those  who  hew 


324  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

and  shape  the  rock,  added  to  the  workers  in  shop 
and  smelter  and  mine  — are  they  not  the  very  salt 
of  earth, — the  masses,  the  people,  the  redeeming  ele- 
ment, humanity  itself?  Toil  here  is  the  great  lev- 
eler,  labor  the  great  beautifier,  despite  the  bent  back, 
the  calloused  hands.  Labor,  all  labor,  is  earnest 
and  holy,  and  I  am  thankful  that  I  may  call  myself 
a  workingman.  Why  should  the  axe,  the  hammer, 
the  hoe  and  the  needle  feel  themselves  degraded  be- 
side the  bank-hoarded  dollar  that  toils  for  the 
usurer? 

" '  Jesus,  the  greatest  advocate  of  democracy, 
chose  His  Twelve  from  among  the  sound,  simple 
men  of  the  people,  who  in  every  age,  though  un- 
learned, are  yet  freer  from  the  prejudices  and  the 
errors  of  the  time,  and  are  ever  more  plastic  to 
higher  teachings,  more  sensitive  to  spirtual  impres- 
sions than  the  so-called  better  class.  Jesus,  with 
His  "  Whosoever  "  and  His  "  Love  thy  neighbor  " 
obliterated  social  distinction  once  and  for  all  time; 
and  founded  the  great  Brotherhood  of  Man  upon 
the  Rock  of  Love,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
can  not  prevail.  It  is  true  that  as  yet  the  Brother- 
hood is  but  a  hetergeneous  mass,  unassimilative,  and 
warring  one  member  upon  another.  But  who  de- 
spises labor  despises  man;  and  who  degrades  his 
brother  dishonors  the  Father  of  All." 

"  Here   the   lawyer   interposes,    insists   that   the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  325 

thinker  will  always  rise  above  the  mere  toiler,  and 
quotes 

'  Such  hath  it  been — shall  be — beneath  the  sun, 
The  many  still  must  labor  for  the  one.' 

and  some  argument  ensues  for  which  I  shall  not 
have  time.     Ending  it,  Marsden  says: 

"  '  It  is  cause  for  thanks  that  somewhere  below 
the  "  better  class  "  there  lies  the  superlatively  "  best 
class/'  the  fathoms  of  water  under  the  froth;  the 
solid  earth  beneath  the  hanging-gardens.  The  class 
that  has  always  maintained  the  equilibrium;  the 
real,  the  natural,  against  the  superficial;  the  class 
which  Nature  moulds  from  her  common  clay,  and 
makes  them  living,  breathing  souls.  This  is  essen- 
tially true,  for  it  is  with  humanity  as  with  the  indi- 
vidual. Humanity  looks  to  the  tiller  of  the  soil, 
the  plowman,  the  keeper  of  the  vines,  for  her  re- 
newals, her  infusions  of  red  blood.  Back  to  Na- 
ture's sons  of  the  soil,  poor  old  Humanity!  So 
the  individual  looks  to  the  sunshine,  the  pure  air, 
the  trees,  the  bird-song,  the  river's  tale,  for  his  re- 
newals, his  reviving  impulses.  Back  to  Nature, 
back  to  the  good  green  earth,  poor  worn  mortal,  for 
there  is  enough  and  to  spare  in  thy  Father's  house. 
Alas  for  him  who  hungers  not  to  lie  next  the 
ground,  face  to  face  with  the  rugged  homeliness  of 
Nature,  as  well  as  with  her  beauties.  Alas  for  him 
who  has  not 


326  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

'  The  secret  learned 

To  mix  his  blood  with  sunshine  and  to  take 
The  wind  into  his  pulses.' 

"  Further  along,  Nolan  has  this  to  say :  '  I  can 
not  see  but  that,  in  this  heterogeneous  mass  of 
which  you  spoke,  in  the  Brotherhood  which  might 
be,  I  can  not  see  but  that  the  workingman  pulls  as 
hard  to  the  south  as  the  employer  pulls  to  the  north. 
It  appears  to  me  a  sort  of  tug-of-war  game,  with 
labor  at  one  end  of  the  rope  and  capital  at  the  other. 
For  instance,  on  a  large  estate  not  so  very  far  from 
here,  the  mill  and  quarry  hands  insist  upon  schools ; 
they  have  organized  unions;  and  our  brother  Ing- 
ham  here  is  right  now  fostering  a  law  for  the 
shortening  of  the  already  short  working  hours. 
Now  all  three  things,  I  happen  to  know,  their  em- 
ployer strongly  opposes ;  yet  the  schools,  the  unions 
and  the  law  will  continue  to  be  encouraged  by  those 
at  the  opposite  end  of  the  rope.' 

"  Then  Marsden  again :  '  I  admit  that  between 
capital  and  labor  there  is  enmity  where  there  should 
be  co-operation.  The  one  is  dependent  upon  the 
other.  Take  the  typical  skilled  laborer,  a  stone- 
cutter, we  will  say.  Work  he  must  have  and  just 
compensation  for  that  work.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  employer,  your  friend,  of  whom  you  spoke : 
He  cannot  shape  a  sandstone  slab,  nor  a  cube  of 
granite.  He  must  have  the  fruits  of  the  cutter's 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  327 

hands  and  skill,  else  he  loses  his  profits,  the  prime 
object  of  all  capital.  These  two  men  are  mutually 
dependent.  Really  of  the  two,  the  cutter  is  the 
more  independent. 

"  '  As  to  the  three  things  which  your  friend  op- 
poses, the  schools,  the  unions,  the  laws — education, 
organization,  legislation  :  There  are  no  two  sides  to 
the  first.  Surely  there  is  no  arguing  over  the  ques- 
tion "  Shall  a  man,  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  make 
the  most  of  his  God-given  faculties."  Is  not  Carlyle 
right :  "  That  one  man  should  die  ignorant,  who 
has  capacity — this  I  call  tragedy  "  ? 

"  '  Organization  is  a  privilege,  a  duty  of  the  work- 
ingman,  re-enforcing  the  individual  with  the  multi- 
plied strength  of  numbers.  A  workman  is  wronged. 
Individually  there  might  be  no  redress  for  him. 
But  the  union  stands  behind  each  member,  saying 
to  the  giant  corporation  with  all  the  reserve-force 
assurance  of  a  fellow-giant.  "  Right  this  wrong 
else  you  will  find  yourself  stripped  of  skilled  labor." 
Organization  is  essentially  protective. 

"  '  Legislation  also  is  a  necessity.  The  estates 
you  mention  have  not  even  the  minature  conditions 
held  in  the  congested  centres;  know  little  of  the 
horrors  of  the  sweat-shop,  of  crowded  factories,  of 
child-labor,  of  man's  strength  and  woman's  life 
ground  into  profits  for  soulless  employers.  But  be- 
fore the  law  came  and  even  yet  where  it  comes  not, 


328  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

there  have  been  and  are  still,  we  know,  the  over- 
time, the  midnight  needle,  "  the  wearied  fibres 
stretched  with  toil,"  manhood  degraded,  mother- 
hood outraged,  childhood  enslaved,  and  all  the  other 
nameless  wrongs  of  working  hours  whose  limits  are 
set  by  selfishness  and  greed. 

"  '  I  cannot  believe  that  God,  who  loves  us  all, 
created  some  for  the  enjoyment  of  earth's  beauties 
and  luxuries — works  of  art,  the  sweet  serenity  of 
books,  travel,  leisure,  the  lovely  things  of  life;  and 
ethers  still  for  the  discomforts,  the  distortions,  the 
smoke,  the  close,  sunless  atmosphere  of  mines  and 
shops,  the  narrow  path,  the  bookless  home,  with 
never  a  moment  for  leisure,  with  all  that  is  sad  and 
wearing  and  grinding  in  an  unwelcome  existence. 
May  it  always  be  mine  to  lift  a  feeble  voice  for  the 
cause  of  the  workingman,  and  even  in  a  small  way 
to  hasten  the  day  of  the  eternal  Brotherhood,  the 
great  democracy,  when  Love  shall  be  the  only 
law/  " 

The  Rector  folded  the  paper,  a  pained  look  in 
his  eyes  as  he  noted  the  smile  on  his  brother's  face. 
"  I  realize  as  well  as  you  do  that  the  boy  has  said 
nothing  new,  and  that  you  look  upon  the  whole 
as  the  gush  of  youthful  enthusiasm.  But  for  the 
matter  of  that,  neither  you  nor  I  can  say  anything 
new  upon  a  subject  exposed  to  the  search-light  of 
more  than  one  century.  At  least " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  329 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

MASTER  AND  MAN. 

THE  knock  at  the  door  interrupted,  and  Allen 
thrust  the  paper  under  his  pillow. 

Paul  entered,  looking  somewhat  fatigued,  for  he 
was  just  down  from  the  mill  by  the  sledge-road. 
The  Rector  spoke  cordially,  his  glance  full  of  love, 
and  the  former  employer  waved  the  new-comer  to 
a  chair  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  centre-table. 

"  I  owe  the  honor  of  this  call,"  began  the  master 
of  Eldhurst,  pushing  a  vase  of  flowers  from  between 
him  and  his  companion,  and  fastening  a  keen  glance 
upon  the  young  man's  face,  "  I  owe:  the  honor,  I 
believe,  to  Lodge  Number  One,  Stone-cutters' 
Union,  Quarry  Town,  which  you  are  here  to  repre- 
sent. Is  it  not  true?  " 

"  It  is,  sir.  At  a  called  meeting  of  the  committee 
some  days  ago,  I  was  delegated  to  see  you  upon  my 
return.  They  were  hopeful  that  you  might  be  led 
to  reconsider  this  second  proposed  cut  of  wages." 

"  If  your  honorable  committee  had  been  about 
their  proper  business  of  drilling  and  hewing  and 
cutting,  they  would  have  had  no  time  for  the  tom- 
foolery of  called  meetings." 


330  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  It  chances  that  those  composing  this  committee 
are  among  the  men  laid  off,"  remarked  Paul  dryly. 

Eldreth  bit  his  lip,  and  there  was  a  pause. 

"  Why  were  they  hopeful  that  I  might  be  led  to 
reconsider  a  once-decided  course?  Did  they  think 
anything  you  might  say  would  influence  me?" 

The  young  man  colored,  but  said  quietly : 

'  They  entrusted  me  with  information  with  which 
you  are  as  yet  unacquainted,  and  with  authority  to 
come  to  an  understanding  with  you." 

"An  understanding?  A  compromise — is  that 
what  you  mean  ?  " 

"  In  a  sense,  yes,  sir." 

"  Pierce  Eldreth  compromises  only  with  his 
equals.  Tell  them  so.  When  it  comes  to  dealing 
with  his  dependents,  he  dictates,  they  accept  or  re- 
ject his  terms,  just  as  they  see  fit.  The  second  cut 
in  wages  goes  on  Monday.  Schmidt  is  so  in- 
structed." 

"  They  most  sincerely  trust  that  you  will  think 
better  of  your  decision,  sir,"  remonstrated  Paul 
earnestly. 

"  Of  course  they  do !  "  laughed  Eldreth.  "  Touch 
a  workingman's  pocket-book  if  you  wish  to  move 
him." 

"  This  has  gone  far  deeper.  You  may  not  know 
it,  but  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Eld- 
hurst,  some  of  her  people  have  known  actual  want, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  331 

or  would  have  known  it  but  for  Mr.  Allan  and 
Mr.  Howard.  The  families  of  the  men  laid  off 
have  been  all  but  destitute." 

"  Why  don't  they  go  elsewhere  and  work.  No 
one  detains  them  here." 

"  What  can  these  stone-cutters  do  within  short 
distances  of  their  homes?  The  Lyons  and  the 
Nolan  quarries  have  all  the  men  they  need.  Most 
of  the  laid-off  men  are  in  your  debt,  and  have  no 
desire  to  evade  their  obligations.  All  of  them  live 
in  your  houses  and  are  in  debt  to  your  merchant. 
The  greater  per  cent  are  men  of  families,  and  it 
costs  to  move  and  maintain  women  and  children." 

"  That's  exactly  it.  Your  workingman  of  the 
lower  class,  first  of  all,  knows  but  one  trade;  sec- 
ondly, he  is  ignorant  as  a  post  about  the  proper  ex- 
penditure and  the  saving  of  money ;  and  thirdly,  he 
is  invariably,  monotonously,  possessed  of  a  large 
family  of  small  children.  Improve  him  in  these 
particulars  and  I'll  have  employes  with  whom  I  can 
reason." 

Paul  looked  up  quickly.  "  For  several  years  past 
the  schools  up  among  them  have  striven  toward 
these  very  ends.  The  manual  element  has  entered 
as  largely  as  practicable,  particularly  into  the  night- 
school  work  for  adults.  Financing  has  been  made  as 
practical  as  possible,  a  sort  of  savings  bank  has  long 
been  maintained  with  encouraging  results;  and  the 


332  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

every-day  needs  of  the  little  community  have  been 
carefully  studied  in  the  selection  of  the  branches 
taught.  I  was  under  the  impression  that  you  tacitly 
opposed  the  schools,  that  they  existed  only  by  your 
tolerance.  I  beg  your  pardon  for  having  wronged 
you  all  these  years." 

It  was  the  elder  man's  turn  to  color  and  he  did 
so  hotly,  but  he  affirmed  loftily : 

"  Your  impression  has  been  correct.  Schools 
up  there  are  as  out  of  place  as  in  Interior  Africa. 
Education  serves  only  to  puff  up  the  lower  classes, 
both  the  blacks  and  the  whites,  makes  them  try  to 
ape  their  betters,  unfits  them  for  what  they  were 
made  for — hewers  of  wood  and  carriers  of  water. 
I  said  improve  them  in  the  three  particulars  men- 
tioned, make  them  less  the  animal,  pound  some  sense 
into  them,  and  then  they  might  be  reasoned  with. 
That  was  what  I  said,  sir." 

Paul  made  no  reply,  but  a  faint  smile  twitched  the 
corners  of  his  mouth,  noting  which,  his  companion 
beat  a  sharp  tattoo  on  the  table,  keeping  his  angry 
eyes  on  the  young  man's  face  and  finally  breaking 
out  with : 

"  And  your  schools  don't  do  it,  nor  your  petty 
savings  bank,  and,  least  of  all,  your  damned  unions 
don't  do  it.  They  are  just  as  block-headed,  just 
as  unreasonable,  just  as  helpless,  just  as  dependent 
as  ever,  and  will  be  till  the  crack  of  doom.  You'll 
have  to  agree  with  that." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  333 

"  No,  sir,"  responded  the  other  firmly,  "  I  cannot- 
But,"  diplomatically,  "  whatever  my  personal  views 
on  the  matter,  they  are  not  worth  considering  and 
I  beg  that  you  will  put  them  quite  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. I  am  here,  not  to  present  my  own  opinions, 
but  to  represent  the  several  hundred  men  at  the 
quarries  and  at  the  mill  who  have  intrusted  me  with 
their  interests." 

"  Ah,  and  the  mill-hands  also  ?  You  are  quite 
heaped  with  honors." 

Up  came  the  steady  gaze  of  the  grave  blue  eyes 
and  the  answer  sounded  without  a  shade  of  annoy- 
ance: 

"  It  is  a  responsibility  not  to  be  treated  lightly, 
an  honor  the  highest  a  community  of  men  can  con- 
fer upon  any  one  man,  and  I  appreciate  it,  I  assure 
you.  You  deplore  their  helplessness  and  dependency, 
yet  when  they  band  together  for  strength,  the  only 
strength  for  the  weak,  that  of  union,  you  sweepingly 
condemn  the  means  to  the  end,  education  and  or- 
ganization— the  end  which  you  yourself  desire,  their 
improvement !  But  again  I  beg  you,  Mr.  Eldreth, 
to  look  upon  me  merely  as  a  mouth-piece  of  these 
hundreds  of  men,  your  faithful  employes  for  years, 
and  to  hear  only  their  voices  in  mine." 

The  master  of  Eldhurst  arose  and  began  walking 
the  length  of  the  room.  The  other  two  followed 
him  with  anxious  eyes. 


334  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  What  do  the  quarrymen  propose  doing  if  your 
mission  fails  this  afternoon?"  he  asked,  stopping 
beside  the  table  and  looking  down  quizzically  at 
the  young  man's  fair,  impassive  face. 

"  They  hope  it  will  not  fail." 

"  You  have  not  answered  me.  If  you  fail,  what 
have  they  up  their  sleeves  ?  " 

"  It  would  certainly  be  unbecoming  in  me  to  be 
the  bearer  of  threats  to  you,  Mr.  Eldreth,  and  believe 
me,  I  came  charged  with  none.  I  am  here  to  ask 
these  simple  questions :  Will  another  reduction  of 
wages  be  made  ?  Can  nothing  be  done  to  restore  all 
to  the  pay-roll  ?  Is  there  any  hope  that  concessions 
on  their  side  may  serve  to  effect  a  compromise? 
Your  answers  to  these,  their  respectful  questions, 
I  am  to  repeat  within  a  few  hours  before  the  whole 
body  of  men." 

"  You  call  those  respectful  questions  ?  Well,  / 
call  them  damned  impertinent!  By  what  right  do 
they  come  nosing  into  my  affairs — my  personal  af- 
fairs, sir?  How  many  men  do  I  intend  to  work? 
And  at  what  wages  ?  Gads !  aren't  they  my  men  ? 
Don't  /  pay  them,  and  with  my  own  money?  Why 
in  blazes  should  I  give  time  and  submit  to  be  cate- 
chized by  you  or  any  other  man  on  my  own  particu- 
lar business?  Tell  me  that!  But  supposing  I  am 
tolerant  enough  to  send  answers,  and  supposing 
those  answers  be  unfavorable,  what  will  your  pre- 
cious union  do?  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  335 

"  I  cannot  say.  That  will  depend "  He  hesi- 
tated. 

"  Upon  what  you  advise  them,"  ended  the  other 
for  him. 

"  To  some  extent,"  admitted  the  younger  man. 

Eldreth  regarded  him  in  reflective  silence  for 
some  time. 

"  Then  I  shall  be  able  to  infer  from  the  union's 
subsequent  action  what  counsel  you  give  them." 

"  I  can  scarcely  be  expected  to  assume  full  re- 
sponsibility for  the  action  of  such  a  body  of  men," 
objected  Paul,  "  Besides,  I  return  to  my  work  at 
Ward  yet  to-night.  But  I  have  promised  Mr.  Allan 
to  do  my  utmost  for  a  pacific  adjustment  of  this 
matter,  and  I  shall  keep  my  word  whatever " 

"  Whatever  answers  I  send  ?  "  sharply. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

Eldreth  was  growing  more  and  more  exasperated 
by  the  undisturbed  calmness  of  the  young  man's 
manner. 

"  And  the  mill  union — what  will  it  do?  " 

"  Its  action,  without  doubt,  will  be  in  sympathy 
with  the  quarry  union." 

"  In  other  words,  if  the  one  body  declares  a 
strike,  the  other  will." 

"  If  you  will  put  it  that  way." 

The  elder  man  sat  down  and  leaned  far  across 
the  table  toward  his  companion: 


336  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Now,  there's  no  use  beating  the  devil  round  a 
stump,  Menendez.  The  situation  's  this,  in  a  nut- 
shell :  I  pay  certain  men  to  do  certain  work.  The 
product  falls  in  price.  I  lay  off  some  men.  My 
privilege.  I  lose  certain  contracts.  I  cut  wages. 
Again,  my  privilege.  Now,  the  men  at  work  virtu- 
ally say  to  me :  '  You  dare  to  cut  our  wages  again 
— contracts  or  no  contracts — and  we'll  walk  out. 
Demand  and  supply  be  hanged !  Employers'  rights 
to  the  devil !  We  are  going  to  work  at  our  old 
wages  or  not  at  all.  We  are  the  only  skilled  labor- 
ers in  Colorado.  You  try  bringing  in  non-union 
men  for  our  places  and  we'll  see ! '  Now  that  is  the 
whole  situation  and  you  know  it."  And  he  sat  back 
in  his  chair  challengingly. 

"  No,  no,  Mr.  Eldreth,  that  is  not  the  situation," 
cried  Paul,  rising  in  his  earnestness,  "  It  is  true 
that  the  men  are  in  your  employ  at  certain  regulated 
wages  agreed  upon  in  the  beginning.  They  have 
been  laid  off,  put  on  again,  and  again  laid  off;  their 
pay,  small  enough,  God  knows,  has  been  reduced, 
while  all  the  time  their  rent,  unreduced,  has  gone  on, 
their  families  have  been  maintained,  and  they  are 
not  unmindful  of  their  indebtedness  to  you  for  bare 
shelter  and  food.  It  is  as  debtors  that  they  approach 
you,  through  me.  Men,  hard-working,  faithful, 
loyal  men  like  Johnson  and  Peterson  and  Fredricks, 
have  come  to  me  in  the  few  days  I've  been  here 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  337 

and  implored  me  to  do  all  in  my  power  for  the 
restoration  of  wages  and  the  re-employment  of  the 
idle.  They  have  reminded  me  of  their  burdensome 
obligations  to  you ;  they  have  begged  me  to  remem- 
ber their  little  children.  I,  in  turn,  beg  you  to  re- 
member them ;  for  it  is  the  helpless,  those  not  re- 
sponsible, who  suffer  most.  I  would  go  down  on 
my  knees  to  you,  sir,  if  by  so  doing,  I  could  the 
better  plead  their  cause." 

Eldreth  looked  a  little  amused,  a  little  bored. 

"  Until  within  the  past  three  months,  you  have 
represented  me  to  these  men.  I  should  like  to  have 
heard  how  such  an  advocate  of  the  laboring  class 
upheld  the  cause  of  the  grinding  capitalist." 

"Your  curiosity  might  easily  be  gratified;  you 
see  Wagner  and  Max  and  Webb  almost  every  day," 
asserted  the  young  man ;  then  he  added  boldly,  "  If 
it  is  ever  granted  me  to  employ  workers  even  in 
numbers,  no  one  shall  act  as  mediator  between  my 
men  and  myself.  I  shall  never  be  misrepresented, 
for  I  shall  be  my  own  direct  representative.  Nor 
shall  mere  wages  be  allowed  to  supplant  all  other 
ties." 

His  hearer  caught  a  quick  breath ;  but  he  recalled 
some  argument  in  that  article  "  The  Right  Divine 
to  Govern  Wrong,"  and  remained  silent.  After  a 
time  he  said : 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  that  a  strike  has  not 
been  talked  of  if  wages  are  cut.  I  know  better." 


338  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  If  there  has  been  talk  it  is  '  unofficial.'  Besides, 
what  other  recourse  have  they?  They  are  giving 
more  than  value  received  at  the  present  scale." 

"  That  is  for  me  to  judge,  sir;  not  they  nor  you." 

"  They  cannot  live  and  at  the  same  time  reduce 
their  indebtedness  to  you,  and  accept  any  lower 
wages." 

"  Then  why  don't  they  get  out  and  go  to  work  ?  " 

"  I  have  said  why." 

"  Well,  if  they  stay,  they  will  stay  at  my  terms, 
strictly.  Tell  them  so.  Will  they  then  resort  to 
the  laboring  man's  cure-all,  the  strike?  I  am  curi- 
ous on  that  point." 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  What  do  you  think?  "  impatiently. 

"  I  fear  they  will,  unless " 

"  Unless  I  come  to  their  terms?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  I  was  going  to  say  unless  the 
cooler  heads  rule." 

"  I  don't  give  a  damn  who  rules.  That  reduction 
goes  on  Monday,  if  I  have  to  shut  down  the  whole 
business.  Do  you,  does  any  one,  imagine  that  I  am 
going  to  be  dictated  to  by  a  lot  of  numbskull 
Swedes  and  Irish?  And  if  Webb  and  his  gang 
walk  out  for  no  better  reason  than  '  sympathy,' 
they  will  be  a  long  time  walking  in  again.  That 
is  all.  The  interview  is  closed." 

But  Paul  drew  a  letter  from  his  pocket,  opened 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  339 

the  sheet  and  silently  spread  it  upon  the  table  before 
the  other.  It  was  the  last  card  he  had  to  play.  Eld- 
reth's  eyes  brightened  as  he  gathered  its  contents. 

"  So  we've  got  the  Springs  paving,  after  all  ? 
Well  ?  "  As  the  other  did  not  move. 

"  And  Schmidt  tells  me  that  your  bid  was  ac- 
cepted with  Stanger  &  Franklin  on  their  court- 
house contract;  and  in  a  letter  which  I  just  received 
from  Ben,  he  tells  me  you  are  solid  with  the  Mc- 
Murry  Company  for  all  their  work  on  hand." 

"  Well  ?  "  repeated  his  companion,  "  and  to  how 
many  of  your  friends  the  quarrymen  have  you 
confided  this  private  information  as  to  my  streaks 
of  good  luck  ?  " 

'  To  none,  sir,  as  you  very  well  know,"  retorted 
Paul  haughtily.  Then,  immediately  softening  his 
tone,  he  added,  "  T  had  ventured  to  hope  that  this 
unexpected  good  fortune  might  not  only  remove 
the  supposed  necessity  for  a  further  reduction  of 
wages,  but  would  necessitate  the  employment  of  the 
entire  force." 

Eldreth  lifted  his  eyebrows,  but  before  he  could 
speak,  the  Rector,  half  rising  on  his  elbow,  inter- 
posed : 

"  Let  me  add  my  entreaties  on  behalf  of  the  men, 
brother.  What  are  a  few  hundred  dollars  to  you, 
one  way  or  the  other,  with  such  contracts  as  these 
and  more  in  view?  Save  all  the  trouble,  perhaps 


340  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

bloodshed,  with  just  a  word.  Let  Paul  tell  them  at 
the  meeting  to-night  that  at  least  those  employed 
are  to  continue  at  the  present  scale.  If  not,  he,  I, 
no  one,  can  be  responsible  for  the  results.  I  fear 
I  am  bedfast  for  a  while." 

His  brother-in-law  waited  to  light  a  cigar. 

"  It  is  no  longer  a  question  of  dollars;  no  longer 
a  matter  of  loss  and  gain.  It  has  passed  that,  and 
resolves  itself  into  just  this :  Who  is  running  Eld- 
hurst — Pierce  Eldreth,  or  a  handful  of  quarry- 
men?"  Then  turning,  he  bowed  stiffly  to  Paul. 
"  You  had  my  answer  some  time  ago,  sir,"  he  said. 

When  Paul  was  gone,  Eldreth  surprised  his 
brother-in-law  by  lying  back  in  his  chair  and  laugh- 
ing heartily. 

"  Talk  about  diplomats!  "  he  exclaimed,  "  If  that 
boy  had  been  in  Woodruff's  stead  at  the  court  of 
Spain,  the  late  unpleasantness  might  have  been 
averted.  Isn't  an  ambassador  '  an  honest  man  sent 
abroad  to  lie  for  his  country  '  ?  This  one  would 
answer  all  the  requirements.  Such  delicate  tact, 
such  subtle  evasion,  such  clever  doubling !  By  Jove, 
Edwin,  he  does  you  credit.  I'd  give  half  that 
Springs  contract  to  hear  his  talk  before  those  men 
to-night." 

The  Rector  smiled,  but  said  seriously :  "  It  is  no 
laughing  matter,  as  you  will  find  out,  Pierce.  Years 
of  experience  handling  the  interests  of  this  place 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  341 

would  suffice  to  make  a  diplomat  of  most  any  one; 
and  Ben  put  more  than  you  will  ever  know  on  that 
lad's  shoulders  long  before  his  past  year  as  foreman. 
And  you  did  him  an  injustice  when  you  hinted  that 
he  did  not  justly  represent  you,  his  employer.  I 
myself  have  more  than  once  heard  him  doing  battle 
for  you  most  loyally;  and  in  your  absence  he  was 
certainly  undisputed  master.  He  allowed  no  inter- 
ference even  from  Richard.  You  will  admit  this : 
that  the  past  three  months  (or  since  his  resignation) 
have  seen  more  open  dissatisfaction,  more  unrest, 
more  changes  among  the  men,  than  during  the  entire 
year  under  his  management." 

"  It's  all  their  infernal  unions,  I  tell  you." 

"  You  forget  that  the  unions  were  both  organized 
some  nine  months  ago,  in  the  very  midst  of  his  fore- 
manship.  No,  you  are  prejudiced  against  him." 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  rather  like  his  superb  audac- 
ity, his  sweet  persistence,  his  rash  boldness.  Think 
of  the  damned  impudence  of  the  fellow.  What 
other  man  on  this  ranch,  or  off  it,  for  that  matter, 
would  dare  to  talk  to  me  as  he  has?  That  was  a 
nice  dig  he  gave  me  about  an  employer  having  a 
mediator  between  himself  and  his  men.  I'd  like  to 
see  him  master  of  Eldhurst  for  a  while  and  directly 
represent  himself  from  one  end  to  the  other." 

"  Well,  you  saw  him  do  it  for  a  year,  or  rather, 
you  were  gone  so  much  (thanks  to  his  management) 


342  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

that  you  didn't  see  him  do  it !  '  Who  governs  most, 
blusters  least,'  you  know.  But  I  know  how  vigi- 
lantly he  kept  in  touch  with  all  of  the  sub-foremen 
and  their  special  lines,  making  each  feel  accountable 
to  him.  And  he  is  loved  and  respected,  for  all 
he  was  so  exacting.  If  he  were  in  charge,  I  should 
no  more  fear  a  strike  among  the  men,  cut  or  no 
cut,  than  I  should  fear  a  flood  from  the  ditches. 
But  he  leaves  tonight,  after  the  meeting." 

"  And  the  dickens  of  it  is,"  mused  the  other,  "  that 
I've  got  to  go  to  Denver  this  very  evening — right 
away,  in  fact,  and  quite  probably  from  there  to 
Chicago  for  Lord  only  knows  how  long." 

"  Why  don't  you  ask  him  to  stay  till  the  danger 
is  well  over  ?  " 

"  Simply  because  it  is  an  unwise  precedent ;  be- 
cause, as  I  told  you  once  before,  it  never  pays  to 
give  any  one  man  the  idea  that  your  business  can't 
run  on  without  him.  Like  a  compromise,  it  is  dan- 
gerous to  your  own  interests.  Besides,  Edwin,  you 
talk  like  some  frightened  woman.  Pray,  will  the 
earth  turn  upside-down  if  a  few  workmen  on  the 
hill  lay  down  their  tools?  " 

He  smoked  in  silence  for  a  time,  then  said  de- 
fiantly, as  he  rose  to  go : 

"  And  haven't  I  a  son  of  my  own  ?  I'll  have  a 
talk  with  Richard  before  I  start.  I  fancy  he  has 
enough  Eldreth  in  him  to  swing  things  a  couple  of 
weeks,  if  he  once  makes  up  his  mind  to  do  it." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  343 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

SHE  STOOPS  TO  CONQUER. 

SOME  three  or  four  hours  between  his  evening 
meal  and  the  meeting  of  Lodge  Number  One  lay 
before  Paul  as  he  slowly  descended  the  hill  from 
his  mother's  cottage.  They  were  the  most  beautiful 
hours  of  mountain  regions,  quiet,  witching  hours  of 
soft  breezes,  of  waning  light,  of  sleepy  bird-calls. 

He  turned,  unconscious  of  his  direction,  into  the 
road  leading  toward  the  Eldhurst  stables.  The 
doors  were  open,  though  there  was  no  one  about, 
the  men  being  at  supper.  Bayonne,  his  favorite  sad- 
dle horse  while  an  employe  of  the  ranch,  whinnied 
eagerly  to  him  from  his  stall ;  and  Rob,  the  monster 
Bernard,  fawned  at  his  feet,  whining  piteously. 

Paul  turned  back  abruptly,  and  walked  more 
slowly,  his  eyes  on  the  ground.  He  was  not  think- 
ing of  the  interview  just  closed,  nor  of  the  meeting 
yet  to  come,  with  his  task  of  convincing  men  against 
their  will.  He  stopped  outside  the  garden  fence  near 
the  summer-house,  and  leaning,  lifted  his  eyes  to 
the  Peak,  which  was  reluctantly  parting  from  his 
sunset  rubies  and  sapphires,  and  seemed  looking  ex- 


344  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

pectantly  toward  the  brightening  moon  for  her 
promised  silver. 

Nor  was  he  thinking  of  Nature's  beauties  and 
blessings  outspread  around  him.  Memories  of  his 
bitter-sweet  boyhood  were  crowding  upon  his  heavy 
heart;  of  days  when  she  was  always  near.  He  was 
thinking  how  after  his  mother  went  to  live  with  him 
at  Ward,  as  she  had  now  consented  to  do,  he  would 
have  no  occasion  ever  to  come  to  Eldhurst.  He  was 
thinking  how,  there  within  a  stone's  throw  of  him 
at  that  moment,  was  the  woman  he  loved,  as  in- 
different to  his  comings  and  goings,  as  far  distant 
from  him  and  his  heart-hunger  as  the  Peak  itself 

For  one  long  year  he  had  striven  to  put  her  out 
of  his  life.  He  had  never  set  himself  so  deter- 
minedly to  accomplish  a  result,  and  he  had  never 
failed  so  ignominiously.  Everything  had  favored 
the  accomplishment.  A  year  is  a  long  time.  Boston 
is  a  great  way  from  Colorado.  There  had  been  no 
word  of  communication  between  them.  Yes,  every- 
thing had  favored  the  end  sought,  everything  save 
his  own  heart.  He  was  "  cursed  with  constancy," 
he  told  himself. 

How  could  he  forget  her  ?  Every  spot  he  visited 
in  his  duties,  every  path  he  rode,  every  foothill  and 
cliff  and  fern-haunt,  all  were  steeped  in  undying 
memories  of  her.  The  pines,  the  birds,  the  moun- 
tain brooks  had  but  one  voice — hers;  the  shadowed 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  345 

pools  were  her  eyes,  the  breeze  her  sigh,  the  sun  her 
kisb.  She  had  been  gone  twelve  months,  and  not  an 
hour  of  the  time  but  she  had  been  held  against 
his  heart.  The  mockery  of  it  was  well  expressed 
in  the  refrain  of  one  of  her  songs : 

"  I  spent  a  clay  away  from  you, 
And  you  were  with  me  all  the  while  !  " 

It  was  just  a  year  today  since  Hanging  Rock,  and 
oh  the  pain  and  the  rapture  of  the  recollection !  But 
for  that  day  he  had  been  stronger.  If  he  had  never 
taken  her  in  his  arms,  never  tasted  her  lips,  it 
might  have  been  different;  but  after  that  it  was  so 
hopeless.  Most  potent  of  all  the  memories  was  that 
of  the  look  in  her  eyes  just  as  he  had  caught  her 
fainting  form  there  on  the  hillside.  That  look! 
many  a  wakeful  night  he  had  lain  pondering  it.  It 
had  been  a  confession,  half-made,  of  what,  if  true, 
would  make  a  mortal  foreswear  heaven  itself;  it 
had  been  an  appeal,  the  weakness  of  the  girl-woman 
to  the  strength  of  the  man.  Surely,  he  could  not  be 
mistaken.  Yet  perhaps  it  was,  after  all,  the  mere 
creation  of  his  own  strong  desire.  Sometimes  he 
was  so  triumphantly  certain,  again  so  pitiably  un- 
certain. 

In  the  broad  glare  of  day,  on  the  round  of  his 
prosaic  duties,  he  called  himself  a  fool,  a  self-deluded 
fool,  and  he  had  found  no  difficulty  in  convincing 


346  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

himself  of  his  folly.  But  at  night,  in  the  silence 
and  the  darkness  of  his  own  room,  among  the  pil- 
lows her  head  had  pressed,  he  must  fight  over  and 
again  a  battle  never  lost,  yet  never  quite  won;  must 
beat  down  his  soul-sick  longing  through  wretched, 
sleepless  hours,  lest  it  rise  and  master  him  to  his 
utter  undoing. 

And  now  came  his  mother's  assertion :  She  had 
called  Marah  by  his  name,  clinging  to  her  and 
begging  not  to  be  taken  away,  had  yielded  back  his 
kisses — Oh,  at  the  mere  thought,  his  heart  leaped 
into  his  throat  and  shook  him  bodily  to  its  racing 
hammer-strokes.  Dear  heaven,  if  only  he  might 
know  the  truth ! 

Yet  again,  there  was  her  freezing,  penetrating, 
unseeing  look,  her  deliberate,  intentional  slight,  only 
the  day  before  yesterday ;  and  his  heart  fell  like  lead. 
After  all,  what  else  could  he  expect?  There  was 
but  one  ending  for  such  madness.  He  had  been 
a  fool  not  to  go  away  three  years  ago.  How  this 
love  had  burned  through  and  through  him,  consum- 
ing all  else.  Right  now,  to  go  away  from  Eldhurst 
seemed  a  step  he  had  no  strength  to  take.  He  bowed 
his  head  to  the  fence-top  and  groaned  as  in  physical 
pain. 

As  though  in  answer,  there  came  subdued  sobs 
from  the  summer-house  and — what  sounded  like  his 
own  name!  Before  he  knew  what  he  was  doing, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  347 

he  had  vaulted  over  the  fence  and  was  lifting  the 
curtain  of  matted  vines  and  roses  from  the  entrance 
to  the  latticed  bower. 

It  was  She — there  on  the  rustic  bench,  her  face 
hidden  by  her  arms  on  its  back.  She  sat  up  and 
half  turned,  but  still  kept  her  face  in  her  hands. 
She  wore  a  house-dress  of  some  pale  rose-shade,  a 
dress  which  force  of  circumstances  afterward  made 
her  wedding-gown.  It  had  been  designed,  however, 
primarily  for  comfort;  was  loosely  belted  just  below 
the  armpits,  empire-fashion,  and  fell  in  shadowy 
folds  that  followed  and  defined  the  curves  of  her 
body.  It  was  of  shimmering  silk,  fine  as  spider- 
threads,  that  clung  and  rippled  and  gave  off  dozens 
of  tones  as  it  flowed  downward  and  lay  swirled 
about  her  feet,  a  drift  of  rosy  snow.  The  sleeves 
terminated  at  the  elbows  in  waves  of  soft  white 
lace;  the  low  cut  of  the  neck  was  an  unpardonable 
oversight  of  some  absent-minded  modiste.  Over 
the  half  bare  shoulders  and  glowing  throat  she  had 
thrown  a  frothy  lace  scarf.  Her  coiled  hair  was 
fluffed  out  round  her  face,  and  a  half-blown  "  Her- 
mosa "  rosebud  clung  just  above  the  left  temple. 
She  looked  half  real  but  altogether  dangerous  in 
the  subdued  light.  Somehow  he  could  not  see  dis- 
tinctly. A  rosy  mist  seemed  to  rise  from  the  drift 
of  her  skirts  and  send  a  blur  across  his  vision.  Per- 
haps he  had  overestimated  his  strength  in  coming. 


348  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

He  hesitated,  his  hand  still  lifting  the  mat  of  vines. 
She  began  dabbling  at  her  eyes  with  a  little  lace 
handkerchief.  She  seemed  to  know  who  it  was 
without  looking.  Her  sobs  were  realistic  and  con- 
vincing. 

"  Lilys,  what  is  it?  What  can  I  do?  "  He  was 
the  boy  for  the  instant,  ready  as  ever  to  serve  her; 
the  long  absence,  that  slight  of  hers,  unremembered. 

"  Go  away !  Leave  me !  "  she  sobbed,  "  Nobody 
cares,  not  a  living  soul.  My  summer-house  is  over- 
grown, my  roses  neglected;  Bonita  is  gone,  Royal 
is  dead  and  Rob  so  grieved  for  her  that  he  doesn't 
know  me.  Papa  is  away,  Dixie's  with  Nina  or  Ruth 
all  the  time,  and  you've  resigned.  Nobody  cares." 

Old  habits  are  strong.  All  his  life  he  had  been 
her  companion,  comforter,  servitor.  Her  tears  al- 
ways moved  him  so.  He  approached  a  step  or  two 
without  realizing  it,  entreating  her : 

"Don't  cry;  please  don't.  They  all  care,  only 
they  are  thoughtless." 

"  Nobody  cares,"  she  reiterated,  "  you  least  of 
all.  And  after  all  the  good,  good  times  we've  had, 
too.  Have  you  forgotten  our  rides  and  scrambles 
among  the  hills  and  the  dear  old  mountains?  Have 
you  forgotten  the  time  my  Tabbie  was  missing  and 
you  left  your  work  two  days  to  find  her,  and  how 
angry  Papa  was  when  Ben  told  him,  and  how  I 
stood  in  front  of  you  and  wouldn't  let  him  punish 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  349 

you  ?  And  have  you  forgotten  the  night  I  was  lost 
and  hurt  my  ankle  and  how  you  found  me  though 
everyone  was  out  searching,  and  how  you  were 
so  glad  you  cried  ?  Have  you  forgotten  ?  " 

Had  he  forgotten!  The  happiest  days  of  his  life, 
watching  over,  amusing,  working  for  her.  But  he 
kept  silent,  and  he  dared  not  lift  his  eyes. 

"  Paul,"  she  began,  rising  and  reaching  for  a 
honeysuckle-coral,  "  do  you  recollect  what  was  said 
when  you  were  brought  here  to  this  very  summer- 
house,  now  more  than  ten  years  ago  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Lilys." 

A  pause. 

"Well,  what?" 

"  That  here  was  some  one  for  you  to  boss." 

"  Oh  yes,  that ;  and  I've  tried  to  do  my  duty  in 
that  line,"  smiling  through  her  tears,  "  but  some- 
thing else,  after  Papa  had  gone.  Do  you  recall 
what  I  said  to  you  and  to  Helene  ?  " 

"  How  is  it  possible  I  should  forget?" 

Another  pause,  then  petulantly : 

"  Well,  and  how  am  I  to  know  you  recollect  ?  " 

"  You  said  you  did  not  want  some  one  to  boss, 
but  some  one  to — be  kind  to." 

"  I  didn't  say  '  to  be  kind  to,' — you  know  I 
didn't." 

He  glanced  up  almost  angrily. 

"  Why  do  you  bring  these  things  up  now?    We 


350  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

could  not  always  remain  children.  We  are  woman 
and  man  now,  and  everything  is  changed." 

"  That  is  just  it,"  and  she  began  to  sob  again. 
"  Eldhurst  isn't  the  same  place,  and  I  can't  bear  it. 
Papa  will  be  gone  at  least  a  week;  Nina  is  eyes-deep 
in  her  wedding-clothes  and  her  Chautauqua  music; 
Dix  is  always  at  Howard's  Saturday  night,  and 
you " 

"  I  must  go  to  a  meeting  at  the  quarries,"  he  an- 
nounced, backing  hastily  toward  the  entrance,  "  and 
then  away  yet  tonight." 

"  No,  no.    Why  should  you  go?  " 

"Why  should  I  stay?" 

Her  eyes  were  agleam  with  laughter  now — safely, 
for  he  was  not  looking  at  her. 

"  Why  have  you  stayed  so  long?  " 

"  Because  we  owed  your  father,  and  there  was  no 
other  way  to  pay." 

"  No,  I  mean  now — here,  in  the  summer-house  ?  " 

Slowly  through  the  tan  of  his  face  a  dull  color 
throbbed.  His  eyes  remained  downcast.  "  Because 
1 — am — a — fool."  He  spoke  with  slow  re- 
pression, but  there  was  an  undertone  of  warning 
in  his  very  control. 

Her  eyes,  humid  with  tenderness  and  bright  with 
unquenchable  mirth,  were  fastened  upon  his  stern 
face. 

"  It  is  stupid  to  be  wise  all  the  time."     (Scarcely 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  351 

could  she  keep  the  glad  laughter  out  of  her  voice.) 
"  Stay  and  amuse  me." 

"  I  can  do  that  without  staying,  if  your  memory 
is  good." 

"  Go,  then, — go !  "  and  she  managed  the  little 
sob  again,  "  I  told  you  nobody  cares — you  least 
of  all."  She  really  turned  her  back,  as  she  said  it; 
but  if  she  had  full-faced  him  and  stretched  both 
arms,  she  could  not  more  surely  have  drawn  him. 

"  God !  how  hard  you  make  it  for  me,"  he  mut- 
tered, but  moving  blindly  toward  her  all  the  time, 
"  How  like  death  you  make  it  for  me !  " 

It  is  surprising  how  much  one  can  see  with  one's 
back  turned.  She  faced  about  at  precisely  the  right 
moment,  then,  at  sight  of  his  face,  put  up  both 
hands  to  stop  him.  But  he  seized  her  soft  arms 
strongly. 

"  I  love  you — God  help  me!  /  love  you!"  Each 
word  seemed  torn  from  his  heart  by  a  force  too 
strong  for  him.  "  Dear  heaven !  how  I  love  you 
— with  every  breath  I  draw,  with  every  thought, 
waking  or  sleeping,  with  every  fibre  of  my  being, 
to  my  soul's  depths.  You  shall  hear  me !  "  as  she 
would  have  drawn  away,  "  You  may  look  as  you 
looked  at  me  the  day  you  came;  you  may  shudder 
from  my  touch  as  now,  you  may  deny  me  as  you 
will,  but  you  shall  stand  still  and  hear  me  through, 
once  for  all.  I,  Paul  Maitland,  hireling,  illegiti- 


352  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mate  son  of  dishonor  and  crime,  am  telling  you 
that  I  love  you ;  that  I  cannot  remember  when  I  have 
not  loved  you;  that  I  shall  always  love  you.  God 
Himself  cannot  tear  you  from  my  heart.  You  are 
all  earth  and  heaven  to  me;  my  hope,  ambition,  de- 
sire, strength,  lie  centred  in  you ;  you  are  my  whole 
life;  my  Hereafter.  Yes,  I  know  what  I  am  and 
who  you  are,  and  all  there  is,  and  must  ever  be, 
between  us;  yet  /  love  you.  Do  you  hear  me? 
Are  you  listening?  There!  "  with  a  sigh  that  was 
almost  a  groan,  as  his  head  bowed  forward,  "  at 
last  it  is  spoken.  Now  show  me  my  place,  as  only 
an  Eldreth  can." 

If  only  he  had  looked  into  her  radiant  face !  But 
he  did  not,  even  when  she  murmured :  "  If  you 
wouldn't  hold  my  wrists  and  hurt  me  so,  I  would 
rather  show  you  my  place." 

He  dropped  her  hands  then,  and  with  a  sudden 
little  movement  she  leaned  and  barely  touched  her 
forehead  to  his  shoulder,  then  as  suddenly  sprang 
away,  laughing  her  girlish,  tantalizing  laugh. 

He  did  not  move.  His  blood  was  leaping  tumul- 
tuously,  and  through  his  brain  his  mother's  words 
kept  running :  "  Her  head  for  your  breast,  her 
arms  for  your  neck,  her  lips  for  your  lips." 

He  stood  looking  unseeingly  at  her,  his  hands 
locked  behind  him,  his  eyes  dark  with  pain.  How 
could  she  jest,  when  to  him  it  was  the  deepest 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  353 

wound  a  man  can  receive?  He  turned  away,  but 
she  drifted  between  him  and  the  entrance,  and  stood, 
her  eyes  sparkling,  irrepressible  dimples  deepening 
the  corners  of  her  mouth,  which  all  but  laughed. 

An  unaccustomed  bitterness  harshened  his  tone: 
"  Why  am  I  here  ?  Why  did  you  call  my  name  ? 
I  have  long  acknowledged  Miss  Eldreth's  beauty 
and  power;  not  one  of  her  father's  employes,  past 
or  present,  but  do  that.  What  further  do  you  want 
of  me?  Could  you  not  leave  me  alone  in  my 
misery?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  sorry  '  Miss  Eldreth  ' 
came  home?  that  you  would  rather  never  have  seen 
me  again?  Do  you  mean  that?  " 

"  I  don't  know — I  don't  know  what  I  mean,"  he 
cried,  one  hand  over  his  eyes,  "  I  only  know  that  I 
must  ....  go."  He  reached  for  the  vine  curtain. 
"  Forgive  me,  if  you  can,"  he  added  hoarsely. 

But  she  was  at  the  entrance  before  him,  the  lace 
scarf  thrown  off,  her  smiling,  tearful  face  uplifted. 
He  looked  down  at  her — at  the  uncovered  throat, 
the  flushed  cheeks,  the  dark  hair  with  its  drooping 
red  bud — he  wavered,  and  his  hand  clenched  itself 
strongly  upon  the  rose-stems,  unheedful  of  the 
thorns.  She  seized  the  moment  of  his  inadequacy; 
she  leaned  daringly  near  him,  one  soft,  jeweled  hand 
on  his  rough  coat-sleeve. 

"  You  shall  have  your  wish — never  to  see  my 


354  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

face  again;  but  now  you  shall  listen  to  me,  even 
as  I  was  compelled  to  listen  to  you.  It  is  you  who 
have  changed,  not  I.  I  am  what  I  have  always 
been ;  what  I  was — all  that  I  was — one  year  ago  to- 
day up  at  the — there  under — "  She  broke  off,  and 
something  of  his  bitterness  crept  into  her  tone. 
"  But  I  dare  say  you  do  not  recollect  where  we  were 
one  year  ago  this  evening." 

"  God ! — girl !  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

A  soft  flame  played  up  into  her  eyes,  a  passionate 
cadence  in  her  woman's  voice.  "  This :  That  you 
are  to  let  the  mine-management  go;  that  you  are 
to  come  back  to  Eldhurst.  Then  things  can  be  just 
as  they  used  to  be.  Come,  for  the  sake  of  the  old 
times ;  come,  because  I  want  you  to,  because  I  .... 
I  want  to  be  ....  where  you  are,  Paul." 

He  took  her  by  her  half-bare  shoulders  and 
turned  her  to  him  and  to  the  waning  light,  his 
grave  eyes  searching  her  now  downcast  face. 

"  You  talk  like  a  child,"  he  said  sternly,  "  Even 
though  I  should  return  to  Eldhurst,  things  could 
never  be  as  they  once  were.  Heaven  knows  I  want 
to  be  where  you  are ;  but  do  you  think  I  could  come 
back  under  the  old  relations  and  abide  them  ?  Could 
I  see  you,  be  near  you  day  by  day,  and  not  forget 
myself?  What  you  ask  is  beyond  human  nature. 
No,  there  is  but  one  way  in  this  world  that  a  man 
and  a  woman  may  be  together;  but  one  way,  Lilys, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  355 

and  that  is  Nature's  way  and  Love's  way  and  God's 
way." 

"  It  ....  it  must  be  a  very  good  way,  then," 
she  stammered,  but  trembling  away  from  him  now. 

He  held  her  fast  and  drew  her  toward  him,  not 
knowing  that  he  did  so.  "  But  you  do  not  under- 
stand. I  love  you.  I  have  told  you,  and  you  did 
not  stop  me,  did  not  send  me  from  you.  You  lis- 
tened to  me.  You  are  a  woman  now;  you  know 
what  a  man's  love  means — all  that  it  means.  Surely 
you  know,  yet  you — Things  would  not  be  as  they 
used  to  be.  It  would  not  be  a  few  daylight  hours 
together,  the  mounting  of  butterflies,  a  gallop  over 
the  hills,  with  'good-night'  at  close  of  day;  but 
instead — Look  up !  Look  at  me !  " 

His  long  gaze  burned  its  way  to  her  inmost  un- 
derstanding. Her  eyes  fell  again ;  she  drew  a  quick, 
gasping  breath  and  he  could  trace  the  rich  heart- 
tide  as  it  swept  her  throat  and  face. 

"  Now  do  you  understand  me?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  whispered,  her  head  drooping,  her 
fingers  crushing  the  lace  cobweb  of  her  scarf. 

"  Does  the  Little  Mistress  mean  that  she  would 
come  to  me  in  that  sweet  way — to  me  ?  No,  do  not 
speak, — think !  think  of  that  cursed  tree  up  the 
Canon;  think  of  what  your  world  would  say;  of 
your  future,  of  everything;  and  for  God's  sake,  do 
not  say  '  yes  '  except  you  mean  it  for  life  and  for 
death."  The  intensity  of  his  emotion  quivered  in 


356  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

his  voice,  in  the  hands  that  were  moving  downward 
from  her  shoulders,  on  the  lips  nearing  her  own. 

"  I  have  thought  for  one  long  year,  but  I — "  A 
more  vivid  crimson  dyed  her  cheeks;  she  was  half 
laughing,  half  crying.  "  Oh,  I  don't  care  anything 
about  cottonwood  trees,  nor  family  trees.  Paul, 
Paul !  "  flinging  up  both  arms  to  him,  "  I  don't  care 
for  anything,  can't  you  see  ? — only  to  be  with  you — 
to  ...  to  belong  to  you — 

"Lilys!!"  It  \vas  but  a  whisper,  yet  all  the 
lover's  rapture  and  triumph  were  in  the  one  word, 
as  he  folded  her  to  his  breast  with  a  passion  that 
was  none  the  less  imperious  because  it  had  been 
so  long  controlled. 

"You  love  me?"  he  breathed,  incredulous  still, 
bending  over  the  fragrant  hair,  "  love — me?  But 
tell  me.  Let  me  hear  you  say  it !  "  he  pleaded. 

She  lifted  a  face  all  transfigured  with  her  wo- 
man's full  surrender;  and  their  young  lips  met  in  a 
long  kiss  that  made  the  giddy  old  earth  sway  be- 
neath them  and  the  walls  of  their  rose-house  whirl 
dizzily. 

And  the  light  of  the  June  sky  faded ;  the  even- 
ing breeze  stirred  the  leaves  of  their  paradise,  and 
a  mother-bird  in  her  nest  high  above  them  twittered 
contentedly.  They  did  not  speak.  What  need, 
when  wooing  winds  and  whispering  leaves  and 
mated  birds  spoke  for  them?  when  their  throbbing 
hearts  and  clinging  lips  told  all  ? 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  357 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  LOVERS. 

THEY  sat  orl  the  rustic  bench  within  their  tent 
of  honeysuckle  and  wild  gourd  and  the  glowing 
splendor  of  the  crimson  rambler;  and  the  minutes 
sped,  downy-footed. 

Outwardly  they  were  ill-sorted;  he  in  his  rough- 
cloth  dress  of  the  working  businessman,  with  his 
strong  browned  hands  and  sunburned  face;  she  in 
her  costly  silk  with  its  rare  lace,  her  white  hands 
sparkling  with  rings  which,  though  few,  would  have 
ransomed  several  kings. 

Yet  ever  since  his  entrance  she  had  been  approv- 
ingly conscious  of  the  nice  details  of  his  appearance. 
A  year  had  lost  to  him  nothing  of  his  grace  of  man- 
ner; and  she  had  noted  with  the  pleasurable  sense 
of  proprietorship,  the  well-knit  figure,  the  broad 
chest  and  shoulders,  the  restful  strength  in  his 
every  pose  and  movement.  Nothing  escaped  her 
fastidious  eyes — the  irreproachable  collar  and  tie, 
even  the  polish  of  the  well-kept  finger-nails. 

He  said  little,  nothing,  in  fact.  Thrilled,  stunned 
as  he  was,  he  seemed  content  to  sit  beside  her  in 


358  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

a  dazed,  unreal  happiness  that  found  no  expression 
save  in  the  hand  that  delicately  caressed  her  hair 
or  her  cheek. 

But  the  girl  reveled  in  her  new-found  bliss,  ex- 
ulted in  possession.  With  childish  abandon  she 
leaned,  curving  her  palms  about  his  face,  pressing 
her  cheek  to  his.  Or  she  would  rise  and  draw  his 
head  against  her  warm  breast  and  lift  and  smooth 
the  heavy  brown  hair  from  his  forehead.  Then 
down  beside  him  again,  in  the  close  circle  of  his 
arm,  her  eyes  confessing  all  that  failed  her  lips. 

And  joy  bubbled  from  her  heart  and  overflowed 
into  speech.  She  questioned  him  and  answered  her- 
self all  in  one  breath.  How  long  had  he  loved  her? 
Not  till  he  found  she  was  going  away?  Slie  had 
loved  him  even  when  she  wanted  to  strike  him  there 
in  the  office ;  longer  than  that,  even  when  he  found 
her  lost  and  they  cried  in  one  another's  arms,  boy 
and  girl  of  a  dozen  years;  and  even  as  long  ago  as 
when  he  was  brought  to  her  there  in  the  summer- 
house  and  given  to  her.  Wasn't  he  hers?  Of 
course!  And  had  he  ever  loved  Ruth?  Had  he 
ever  kissed  her,  or  any  other  girl?  But  certainly 
not;  he  wasn't  like  Dix.  But  why  had  he  been 
so  blind,  so  dull,  so  stupid  ?  She  reproached  him  for 
the  year  apart  and  the  next  instant  laid  all  their 
unhappiness  to  her  own  horrid  vanity  and  stubborn- 
ness. She  told  him  of  her  year's  struggle  against 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  359 

her  pride;  of  how  she  had  finally  rejected  DeLacy 
after  her  reckless  decision  to  accept  him ;  and  lastly 
of  the  young  Berlin  violinist. 

He  questioned  her  gravely  about  this  last  one, 
rumors  concerning  whom  had  already  drifted  about 
as  matters  of  the  House  always  did.  Then,  with  no 
comment,  he  put  her  gently  from  him,  went  to  the 
high  casement  that  opened  west  and  leaned  there, 
his  eyes  appealingly  upon  the  Peak,  as  though  it 
could  answer  the  questions  vexing  his  soul. 

He  was  steadying  himself,  mentally  as  well  as 
bodily,  in  a  courageous  endeavor  to  find  his  bear- 
ings, to  readjust  his  future.  The  swimming  tu- 
mult of  his  senses,  the  unaccustomed  throb  of  his 
blood  bewildered  him.  Realization  of  the  last  hour 
came  slowly.  He  had  confessed  his  long-concealed 
love — in  spite  of  repeated,  fortified  resolutions,  after 
all  he  had  borne  and  resisted, — here  in  one  un- 
guarded moment,  transported  from  all  power  of 
will  and  forbearance,  he  had  told  it.  Most  marvel- 
ous of  all — she  loved  him!  His  breast  was 'yet 
warm  where  she  had  rested.  No,  he  was  not  dream- 
ing in  his  room  in  the  dark.  It  was  daylight.  He 
had  only  to  turn.  She  was  there. 

They  loved.  What  then?  Had  she  thought? 
sought  her  bearings?  readjusted  her  future?  Mar- 
riage. And  then?  Ease,  comfort,  even  luxuries, 
he  could  give  her,  with  such  a  mine  as  was  his 


360  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

(or  would  be  his  soon)  ;  but — she  would  be  dis- 
owned, cast  adrift  by  kindred  and  society.  She 
must  descend  to  his  social  level,  must  find  her  world 
in  his  world,  for  "  as  the  husband  is,  the  wife  is." 
And  all  for  him  and  his  love ! 

This  was  that  selfish  love  which  he  had  derided 
so  recently  to  his  mother  (wise  little  mother,  who 
had  foreseen  this  hour!).  This  was  the  misalliance 
he  had  said  the  very  unborn  should  cry  out  against. 
The  unborn !  If  Manuel  Menendez  had  had  no 
right  to  a  beautiful  woman,  to  children  cursed  be- 
fore their  birth,  what  of  Manuel  Menendez's  son? 
What  name  had  he,  Paul  Maitland,  what  blood, 
with  which  to  gift  them?  Would  they  not  live  to 
curse  him,  as  he  had  cursed  his  father? 

Yet,  what  could  he  say  to  her  of  all  this?  How 
make  her  understand?  He  had  awakened  in  her 
woman's  soul  a  force  beyond  him  to  control,  as  it 
was  beyond  him  to  resist.  He  knew  her  nature, 
its  headlong  generosity.  He  knew  she  would  leave 
home,  friends,  fortune,  to  share  whatsoever  was 
his,  and  call  it  happiness.  He  knew  that  she  would 
bear  for  his  sake  all  the  pangs  woman  ever  bore 
for  man  and  call  them  blessed. 

On  his  own  side,  did  he  not  love  her?  Had 
he  not  held  her,  but  now,  in  that  long,  impassioned 
embrace  as  a  man  holds,  should  hold,  but  one  wo- 
man ?  Was  she  not  his,  by  right  of  all  laws,  physical 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  361 

and  moral?  Without  her  now,  life  would  be  hell 
again;  to  part,  death  itself. 

And  yet — her  highest  happiness,  the  welfare  of 
the  one  beloved?  Did  it  mean  union  with  him? 
As  though  he  had  heard  them  but  yesterday,  Edwin 
Allan's  words  struck  upon  his  sensitive  heart,  hard 
and  uncompromising  as  hammer-strokes  :  "  Doubt- 
less she  would  fling  away  all  for  the  man  of  her 
choice,  like  any  other  loving  woman,  but  afterward 
she  would  wake  to  find  life  without  them  unbear- 
able. .  .  .  All  her  life  she  has  had  high  social  po- 
sition, attention  from  the  exclusive  circle  within 
the  select  circle.  These  are  the  very  air  she  breathes. 
....  Supposing  she  yielded  and  united  with  one 
her  social  inferior,  it  is  my  solemn  belief  that  very 
soon  she  would  wake  to  deplore,  and  live  to  regret. 
Your  world  could  not  be  made  her  world.  She 
would  be  out  of  her  native  element." 

Was  it  true?  Was  it?  Oh,  God  help  him!  It 
was  a  prayer.  Though  his  hands  were  not  clasped, 
though  his  lips  were  not  moving,  yet  his  whole  be- 
ing kneeled,  implored.  Slowly  his  head  bowed  to 
one  arm  on  the  high  casement,  and  he  leaned  mo- 
tionless, breathless. 

"  Paul !  " 

Her  voice  vibrated  with  love-born  anguish ;  her 
hands,  strong  with  love-born  sympathy,  drew  down 
his  arm.  She  held  his  hand  against  her  breast  and 
yearned  up  into  his  sad  face. 


362  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"I  know  what  you  are  thinking;  I  can  feel  it. 
You  are  saying  to  yourself  all  those  terrible  things 
you  said  on  the  way  to  the  mills  that  day.  I  have 
said  them  all,  over  and  over,  during  the  year.  I 
know  them  by  heart — and  I  don't  care,  I  don't  care ! 
I  have  thought  of  everything.  A  year  ago  tonight 
you  held  and  kissed  me,  a  mere  girl  then,  and  at 
once  I  seemed  to  see  clearly  some  things  that  before 
had  been  mysteries.  Now  tonight  you  have  held 
me  to  you  again  and  kissed  my  mouth  and  I  ...  I 
begin  to  understand  many  more  things — things  I 
did  not  know  even  an  hour  ago.  You  have  brought 
me  to  life.  You  have  made  me  love  you,  love  you, 
till  there  is  nothing  else  for  me  but  to  belong  to 
you.  If  you  leave  me  now,  I  swear  to  you  I  will 
do  that  '  desperate  thing  '  I  have  always  threatened, 
only  it  is  a  woman's  threat  this  time  and  it  will 
be  a  woman's  deed,  a  something  you  can  no  more 
prevent  than  you  could  help  staying  here  with  me 
after  you  had  once  come." 

He  took  her  face  between  his  firm  hands  and 
looked  down  into  her  eyes  with  deep,  still  tender- 
ness. 

"  Leave  you?  Leave  you?  '  The  Lord  do  so  to 
me  and  more  also  if  aught  but  death  part  thee  and 
me.'  Yes,  my  Lilys,  I  have  been  thinking— many 
things;  but  they  all  lead  back  to  this:  Our  love. 
That  is  enough  now  and  hereafter.  The  past  I  can 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  363 

not  alter,  but  I  may  amend.  A  stain  may  be  re- 
moved; a  sin  may  be  redeemed;  an  evil  name  be 
made  honorable — and  these  shall  be  my  purposes, 
now  more  than  ever.  For  your  future,  you  shall 
not  know  unhappiness  if  human  love  can  ward  it  off; 
nor  bear  one  pang  that  man  can  bear  for  woman. 
We  have  lost  a  whole  year,  or  two,  or  three,  per- 
haps, but  we  must  live  the  deeper,  love  the  more, 
to  make  good  the  joys  that  '  of  and  for  each  other's 
sake  we  might  have  had.'  I  can  not  realize  my 
great  happiness — I,  who  have  lived  for  a  whole  year 
on  the  memory  of  a  look  and  of  a  kiss  on  lips  I 
thought  for  others.  No,  I  cannot  realize  it  yet,  but 
oh,  I  thank  God !  " 

There  was  a  deep  thanksgiving  in  his  voice  that 
was  almost  solemn,  and  on  his  face  such  utter,  pure 
content  that  made  its  radiance  something  to  marvel 
at.  He  pointed  through  the  high  casement. 

"  When  I  was  a  very  little  boy,  I  used  to  kneel 
in  the  evening  at  our  west  window  with  my  eyes 
on  the  Peak  and  repeat  the  prayers  Mr.  Allan  had 
taught  me.  I  had  a  childish  belief  that  God  dwelt 
on  the  summit  of  the  Peak.  Afterward  when  my 
life  grew  serious  and  hard  from  too  heavy  tasks  and 
too  little  kindness,  I  placed  heaven  much  farther 
off.  I  used  to  wonder  where  God  kept  Himself 
that  I  could  not  make  Him  hear.  I  am  wiser  to- 
night with  all  wisdom,  wiser  than  the  child,  than 


364  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  youth.  For  I  know  that  heaven  is  nearer  than 
the  Peak,  even  here  in  our  hearts  He  who  gave 
us  love  and  each  other  must  be  with  us,  blessing 
us,  two  already  one." 

She  looked  up  into  the  serene  and  somber  beauty 
of  his  eyes  and  again  as  of  old,  thrilled  from  the 
awe  of  contact  with  a  nature  larger,, purer  than  her 
own.  Ah,  could  she  ever  be  worthy  to  work  beside 
him,  ever  attain  to  his  stature  ? 

There  under  the  lifting  shadow  of  the  Peak,  he 
outlined  their  life  as  it  would  be,  the  work  he 
longed  to  do,  even  in  the  prescribed  field  allowed 
him — the  redress  of  grievances,  the  righting  of 
wrongs,  the  easing  of  hard  lives,  the  cultivation  of 
waste  places  in  the  minds  and  hearts  touched  by 
their  own.  The  mine  at  Ward  was  a  rich  one  and 
would  employ  increasing  numbers.  This  would  be 
their  field  at  first,  a  field  they  must  bless  even  as  God 
was  blessing  them. 

The  great  hall  clock  up  at  the  House  struck  the 
half  after — what  hour,  neither  could  have  told  you. 
The  young  man  started  guiltily. 

"  Your  first  order  to  me  this  evening  was  to  go 
away,  to  leave  you.  I  have  been  a  long  time  obey- 
ing it,  Little  Mistress." 

She  clasped  his  neck  impetuously. 

"  Don't  go  to  the  stupid  union,  Paul ;  stay  with 
me." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  365 

"  Duty  first,"  he  said,  but  he  laid  his  cheek  down 
against  one  bare  arm  and  did  not  move  to  go. 

"  Lilys,"  he  began  after  another  delicious  silence, 
"  if  you've  thought  at  all,  where  do  you  imagine  I 
am  going  to  put  you?  " 

"  In  a  tent,  if  you  like.  I  shall  follow  you  about 
all  day  anyway,  as  I've  always  done.  And  I  can 
cook  too,"  she  informed  him  proudly,  "  Nina  and  I 
have  both  attended  cooking  school ;  and  I've  helped 
Lena  with  the  dishes  more  than  once." 

He  smiled  one  of  his  rare  smiles,  shaking  his  head 
and  holding  up  to  her  view  her  own  dainty  hands  in 
contradiction.  Then : 

"  A  tent — it  will  scarcely  be  so  bad  as  that.  But 
Ward  is  only  a  mining-camp,  a  very  new  one,  with 
sorry  comforts  for  such  as  you.  It  will  not  be 
Eldhurst;  and  you  will  miss  society's  favors,  and 
your  summer  house-parties,  and  the  prestige  of  your 
father's  home — hozv  much  you  will  miss  that  I  am 
powerless  to  give " 

"  Well,  are  you  sorry  ?  " 

"  Sorry  ?     With  you  looking  at  me  like  that  ?  " 

But  he  sighed,  for  many  misgivings  were  weigh- 
ing his  heart.  His  mind  ran  forward  to  the  future ; 
hers  seemed  content  to  linger  in  the  present. 

"  And  have  you  thought,"  he  asked  by  and  by, 
"  what  an  altogether  enviable  task  lies  before  me  in 
breaking  this  little  matter  to  your  father?  Can  you 
not  picture  the  scene  ?  " 


366  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

The  girl  started  away  with  a  frightened  look,  her 
father's  words  sounding  in  her  ears,  "  I  would 
rather  kill  you  with  my  own  hand  than  suffer  the  dis- 
grace of  hearing  your  name  linked  with  that  of 
Marah  Maitland's  son." 

"  Write  it  to  him  while  he  is  away,"  she  pleaded 
earnestly. 

The  young  man  laughed  outright.  "  Our  sweet- 
hearts would  make  cowards  of  us  all!  Why,  for 
which  one  of  us  do  you  fear?  I  give  you  my  word 
I  will  not  harm  him." 

"  I  hardly  think  he  will  do  you  any  bodily  harm 
either,"  and  she  laughed  too,  surveying  her  lover's 
stalwart  proportions  with  proprietary  pride.  "  But 
you  know  that  you  two  never  talked  five  minutes 
even  about  alfalfa  or  lumber  without  clashing." 

"  Oh,  we  like  it!  "  he  said  grimly,  thinking  of  the 
interview  just  closed. 

"  He  will  never  consent." 

He  held  her  away  at  arm's  length.  "  What 
then?" 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  in  the  adorable  way 
she  had.  "  Take  me  with  you  to  Ward,  right 
away." 

"  Don't  look  at  me  like  that,  else  I  might !  " 

Her  gypsy  face  sparkled  and  dimpled.  "  '  If  he 
dares,  who  cares  ?  '  "  she  hummed. 

"  He  cares,  otherwise  to  dare  were  very  easy,  very 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  367 

sweet.  No,  it  is  going  to  be  hard  enough  for  you 
hereabout  with  everything  according  to  the  high 
proprieties.  Even  so,  there  will  be  unkind  comment 
which  I  can  not  prevent.  The  moment  your  father 
returns  (not  for  a  week  he  told  me)  I'll  come  back 
and  rehearse  that  amicable  little  scene  with  him, 
then,  whether  or  no,  you  will  go  with  me.  And 
now  that  meeting.  It  begins  at  eight." 

He  lifted  the  vine  curtain,  but  she  made  no  move 
to  go.  She  was  leaning  near  him,  the  picture  of 
content.  That  "  I'll  come  back  "  of  his  in  no  wise 
troubled  her.  He  was  not  gone  to  Ward  yet,  nor 
was  there  any  immediate  danger  of  his  going. 
What !  leave  her  now  ?  Absurd !  impossible !  Had 
she,  Lilys  Eldreth,  ever  hinted  at  coaxing  any  young 
man  to  tarry  at  Eldhurst  ?  She  usually  felt  tempted 
to  coax  them  to  go.  Once  Dix  had  bet  her  that 
she  could  not  detain  Harry  Wentworth  an  hour  be- 
yond his  absence-leave  from  his  paper;  had  bet  her 
a  thoroughbred  colt  he  had  just  received  from  Ken- 
tucky. She  had  won  the  colt,  and  with  what  ease. 
She  had  only  to  intimate  that  if  Mr.  Wentworth 
would  remain  over  two  days  for  her  party  she  might 
grant  him  one  round  dance !  He  had  had  some  un- 
pleasantness with  the  Tribune  afterward,  but  that 
was  his  business,  not  hers.  And  once  DeLacy  had 
lingered  there  a  week,  breaking  several  engage- 
ments, business  and  social,  for  the  sake  of  a  ride 


368  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

with  her  up  Boulder  Canon — on  which  ride,  she  had 
taken  Pepito  to  carry  her  specimens ! 

And  so  ...  did  she  not  know  men?  Weren't 
they  all  alike?  Wouldn't  the  best  of  them  do  any- 
thing for  a  smile  or  the  promise  of  a  waltz  or  half 
an  hour's  teic-a-tete?  As  to  "  present  company," 
— and  she  smiled  up  at  him  meditatively — she  had 
given  him  promises  for  a  life-time,  to  say  nothing 
of  taking  his  many  kisses.  After  he  had  yielded 
her  her  own  way  and  stayed;  after  an  hour  or  so, 
perhaps  she  might  give  him  one  kiss,  just  one  little 
one,  her  first  to  any  man.  She  would  see. 

"  I  suppose  you  must  go  to  that  meeting," 
she  conceded,  half  petulantly,  yielding  the  lesser 
that  she  might  win  the  greater,  "  I'm  sure  I  can 
stand  it  if  you  can.  But  after  it  is  out — 

"  It  promises  to  be  an  all-night  session,  in  the 
midst  of  which  I  shall  have  to  leave  to  make  my 
train,  the  last  one  to-night.  I'm  afraid  I  can't  even 
drop  off  at  the  rectory  to  tell  Mr.  Allan  the  result 
of  the  meeting.  I  am  under  agreement  to  return 
to  the  Hopeful  this,  Saturday,  night.  It  is  imper- 
ative, as  Bradley  can  not  be  there;  is  on  his  way  to 
Denver  by  this  time,  and  is  depending  upon  me." 

She  changed  tactics  then.  She  lifted  moist  eyes 
and  her  lips  began  quivering  like  those  of  a  very 
little  child. 

"  You  can  not  be  in   earnest,   Paul.     You  are 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  369 

not  going  away  from  me  so  soon  and  for  so  long? 
Why  we  have  only  just  found  one  another,  after 
a  whole  wretched  year  apart.  And  to  be  apart 
now ' 

He  would  have  taken  her  in  his  arms,  but  she 
eluded  him  and  ended  her  speech  at  the  further  side 
of  the  summer-house. 

"  To  be  apart  now  would  be  like  this,  only  you 
couldn't  even  see  me  nor  hear  me  then.  No,  no," 
motioning  him  back,  as  he  would  have  followed. 
"  Wait;  stand  still  and  think  what  it  would  be  like; 
think  how  you  will  miss  me  and  want  me — think !  " 

He  had  stopped  where  her  command  arrested  him 
and  stood  looking  dejected  enough  to  satisfy  the 
most  exacting  of  inquisitors.  It  was  too  bad,  but 
she  must  discipline  him.  She  observed  his  suffering 
with  exultation  and  let  the  moment  one  after  an- 
other drag  away  in  silence,  with  her  back  half 

turned Now  she  was  sure  he  would  not  go, 

but  she  was  not  quite  through  with  him. 

By  and  by  she  reached  one  hand,  as  might  a 
queen  to  a  rebellious  though  penitent  subject,  but 
again  halted  him  as  he  was  about  to  seize  the 
hand.  She  had  not  taken  a  step.  He  had  come  all 
the  way.  He  must  surrender,  and  on  her  terms. 

Near  as  he  was,  he  did  not  touch  her,  since  it 
was  her  wish  he  should  not;  but  she  could  feel  his 
ardent  eyes,  and  rich  waves  of  color  answered  his 


370  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

gaze.  Still  she  would  not  look  at  him;  her  face 
drooped  through  what  seemed  an  age  to  the  lover, 
and  she  kept  the  distance  between  them. 

"  Don't  punish  me  any  longer,"  he  pleaded  humbly 
enough,  "  I'll  be  very  good ;  and  you  shall  say 
what  *  good  '  means." 

At  that,  she  gave  a  little  exultant  cry,  flung  back 
her  head — and  she  was  close-folded  in  his  arms,  the 
uplifted  crimson  of  her  mouth  clinging  to  his.  A 
moment  of  blinding  rapture  followed  .  .  . 

"  Only  the  meeting,  Dearest — an  hour — two 
hours,"  she  breathed  between  her  long  kisses,  "  then 
— with  me.  I  love  you — love  you! "  She  ended 
with  her  face  still  upraised,  the  soft,  dangerous  fire 
in  her  eyes  again,  her  caressing  fingers  clasping  his 
neck.  Slowly  she  drew  his  head  down,  yet  lower, 
yet  closer  till — his  eyes  closed,  his  senses  swimming 
— he  felt  her  tender  young  throat  pulsing  beneath 
his  lips. 

His  arm  tightened  convulsively  around  her  till 
she  could  scarcely  breathe  in  his  crushing  embrace; 
and  for  one  stifling  instant,  he  did  not  move. 

"  You  will  stay,  Paul."     It  was  not  a  question. 

"If  only  I  might!"  he  whispered  breathlessly, 
"if  only!  ....  Don't,  don't,  DON'T!"  He  lifted 
his  head,  recalling  his  truant  control.  He  passed 
a  hand  over  his  eyes  with  a  short  recovering  laugh, 
putting  her  forcibly  from  him.  "  "What  do  you 
think  a  man  is  made  of,  anyway?  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  371 

"  Flesh  and  blood,  of  course,"  and  the  smiles  and 
dimples  attested  her  now  certain  triumph. 

"  Well  then,  I  can't  stand  this,  and  you  ought  to 
know  it,  you  witch!  There.  No,  farther  yet,  and 
not  so  much  as  your  finger-tips.  So.  Now  let  me 
try  to  think.  Is  it  yesterday,  or  next  week  ?  Where 
am  I?  Is  this  earth  or  ....  Ah,  the  meeting! 
I  had  forgotten  such  trifles  as  Duty.  Why,  I've  a 
speech  to  make.  \Vhat  sort  of  one  do  you  imagine 
it  will  be?  None  at  all,  if  I  stay  here  another  min- 
ute. Really,  solemnly,  finally,  Miss  Eldreth,  I  must 
go." 

"  Yes,"  complacently,  taking  up  her  scarf  from 
the  back  of  the  bench,  "  to  Quarry  Town." 

"  And  to  Ward." 

"No,  Paul— no!" 

"  But  I  promised."  His  tone  was  unmistakably 
final. 

She  looked  at  him  despairingly,  tears  welling  up 
in  her  eyes.  Oh,  he  was  not  at  all  like  other  men; 
she  had  punished  only  herself. 

"  Don't  cry,  Lilys,  I  can't  bear  it.  Don't  make  it 
any  harder.  It  is  taking  all  the  strength  I've  got — 
can't  you  see  ?  " 

"  You  seem  to  have  all  the  strength  you  need 
for — everything.  But  what  is  to  become  of  me  ?  " 
Her  voice  choked.  "  Only  day  before  yesterday, 
because  Dix  teased  me  about  you,  Papa  threatened 


372  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

to  shut  me  up  with  the  St.  Mary  Sisters  down  in 
Denver.  He  threatened  even  worse  if  he  ever  heard 
our  names  coupled.  Oh,  I  am  so  afraid.  A  week, 
ten  days — something  will  surely  happen.  If  you 
can  not  stay;  if  you  must  go,  take  me  with  you  to- 
night. Paul,  Paul!  I  want — to  be — where  you 
are." 

She  was  sobbing  in  earnest  now,  no  acting;  and 
holding  her  up  "  close  and  hard  and  strong,"  her 
"  Prince  "  let  her  cry  till  his  royal  strength  of  soul 
imparted  something  of  itself  through  the  steadfast 
arms  around  her,  through  the  breast  against  which 
she  lay.  His  eyes  yearned  down  with  a  passion  of 
tenderness  upon  her  little  shaken  form.  With  in- 
finite gentleness  he  stooped  and  laid  his  lips  to  her 
hair,  his  very  silence  soothing  her,  his  man's  strong 
sympathy  enfolding  her.  When  she  grew  more 
calm,  he  said : 

"  Listen,  my  darling  girl.  You  are  troubled,  else 
you'd  think  what  you  are  asking.  You  would  not 
have  me  steal  you  away  by  night  during  your 
father's  absence.  We  are  to  go — be  very  sure  of 
that;  without  his  consent,  yes;  without  his  knowl- 
edge, no.  We  can  defy;  but  we  can  not  deceive. 
And  do  I  so  fear  Pierce  Eldreth  that  I  can  not  face 
him  and  ask  him  a  man's  question?  No,  he  shall 
consent;  he  shall  be  made  to  consent.  Did  Fate 
clear  away  from  between  you  and  me  all  the  mis- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  373 

understanding  and  keep  us  both  faithful  so  long; 
did  God  save  you  from  DeLacy  and  bring  you  back 
loving  and  loyal,  and  all  for  naught?  Think  no 
more  about  St.  Mary's.  You  are  going,  not  to 
Denver,  but  to  Ward;  a  bride,  not  a  penitent.  A 
fortnight,  even  less,  of  preparation  for  your  com- 
fort, then  we  will  be  together — I  pledge  you  my  life. 
Can  not  my  own  wait  and  trust  me  ?  " 

He  smiled  down  into  her  eyes  with  that  firm, 
tender  smile  of  proprietorship  that  women  so  love. 

"  Come,  be  your  old-time  fearless  self,  our  brave 
Western  girl.  It  is  far  harder  for  me  than  for  you, 
thus  to  find  you  and  then  to  lose  you  even  for  a 
week;  yet  is  must  be  so.  If  I  broke  one  promise, 
how  could  I  ask  you  to  trust  another?  Good  night, 
my  love.  Very  soon  I  am  going  to  call  you  by  a 
sweeter,  a  holier  name.  Then  a  certain  little  mining 
town,  already  of  breathless  altitude,  will  be  even 
nearer  heaven;  then  my  life-long  desire  will  be 
reality,  for  I  shall  have  you,  day  after  happy  day, 
night  after  sweet  night,  your  head  for  my  breast — 
Lilys!  Lilys!" 

Another  long  dreamful  pause  which  he  fills  lover- 
wise;  then  his  arm  about  her  shoulders,  they  reluct- 
antly ascend  the  hill  toward  the  House,  a  tear-bright 
smiled  wooed  back  to  her  April  face. 

"  Oh,  if  only  Papa  were  here,"  she  sighs,  glanc- 
ing up  at  the  unlighted  windows,  "  to  order  us  away 


374  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

from  Eldhurst,  you  know,  to  drive  me  from  home, 
as  he  would,  then  you'd  take  me,  '  just  as  I  am 
without  one  ' — hat.  Wouldn't  you  ?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  I  should,  pretty  pink  frock,  tumbled 
hair  and  all.  I'll  take  so  much  of  you  at  any  rate," 
and  he  untangles  the  rosebud  from  her  hair,  touches 
it  to  her  lips  and  puts  it  securely  away. 

She  draws  from  him  smoothing  hair  and  dress 
and  laughing  at  the  fancied  picture.  "  And  no 
gloves,  and  in  these  slippers.  Wouldn't  folks  in 
Boulder  have  a  right  to  stare?  and  wouldn't  we 
cause  a  sensation  up  at  Ward?  For  Marah  isn't 
home,  you  said." 

"  We  would  certainly  be  the  amazement  of  all 
beholders,"  he  gravely  agrees. 

"  And  then  you'd  just  have  to  miss  your  old  union 
meeting,  though  all  Eldhurst  went  to  smash,  and 
catch  the  eight-thirty  train.  Wouldn't  it  be  lovely?  " 

"  Even  though  .  .  ."  he  is  helping  with  her  hair, 
but  with  doubtful  results,  "  even  though  Mr.  Allan 
might  decline  to  officiate  yet  to-night  without  the 
authority  of  a  Boulder  county  license,  and  the  clergy 
of  both  Boulder  and  Ward  might  be  equally  hard- 
hearted. Would  that  be  lovely  ?  " 

Her  answer,  if  answer  she  makes,  is  lost  in  the 
folds  of  his  coat  where  she  hides  her  face.  He 
puts  his  own  generous,  if  wrong,  construction  on  her 
silence.  She  has  not  thought.  After  all,  she  is 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  375 

only  a  girl.     Well,  it  is  his  to  think  for  both  now. 

"  I  shall  write  you  every  day  and  dream  of  yon 
every  hour.  So  soon  as  I  am  free,  I  will  come  and 
never  leave  you  again,  please  heaven.  For  the  very 
moment  your  father  says  '  Yes  '  (or  '  No  '  rather) 
you  are  to  be  made  mine,  whether  that  moment  be 
noontime  or  midnight.  Until  then,"  lifting  her  face, 
"you  will  long  for  me  just  a  little,  Sweetheart?" 

"  For  you — and  for  the  moment.  Oh,  I  love 
you !  "  she  whispers  with  a  long,  quivering  sigh. 

"  God  keep  you,  my  Darling."  There  is  a  falter 
in  his  strong  voice.  He  holds  her  in  a  lingering 
last  embrace,  drinking  from  her  lips  as  a  man  drinks 
from  an  oasis  spring  when  he  must  turn  and  face 
desert  wanderings  again.  Then  he  rapidly  descends 
the  hill. 

And  both  are  happily  ignorant  of  what  the  week 
is  to  bring. 


376  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  TRUTH   BY  ACCIDENT. 

PAUL  walked  the  deserted  platform  on  the  Colo- 
rado and  Northwestern  station  in  Boulder  awaiting 
the  belated  train  for  Ward.  It  was  long  past  mid- 
night. He  walked  slowly  back  and  forth  in  the 
wavering  circle  of  an  arc  light,  his  head  slightly  in- 
clined, a  smile  on  his  lips  and  in  his  eye,  as  he 
looked  down  at  the  withered  memento  in  his  hand. 

There  was  cause  for  the  smile.  After  he  had 
closed  the  gate  of  his  paradise,  supposedly  for  a 
long  fortnight,  it  had  opened  to  him  briefly  once 
again.  He  had  stopped  at  the  rectory,  late  as  it 
was,  to  tell  Mr.  Allan  the  action  of  the  union,  and 
when  he  entered  the  sick-room,  there  was  Lilys,  de- 
mure of  manner,  but  with  eyes  eloquent  with  mis- 
chief. Her  innocent  uncle,  untaught  in  the  ways  of 
women,  gravely  explained  her  presence  there  at  such 
an  hour,  by  expatiating  upon  her  unselfish  devotion 
to  him  and  upon  her  solicitude  about  the  threaten- 
ing quarry  troubles.  And  she  had  unblushingly 
corroborated  his  statement. 

But  her  lover  had  succeeded  in  bringing  blushes 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  377 

to  the  cheeks  of  the  charming  prevaricator  by  a 
method  all  his  own,  and  had  ended  by  telling  the 
astonished  rector  the  whole  truth  in  the  straight- 
forward way  characteristic  of  him.  And  if  they 
never  received  the  blessing  of  the  father,  they  al- 
ready had  what  was  more  precious,  that  of  the 
uncle. 

Then :  She  had  gone  to  the  gate  with  him ;  and 
he  had  returned  to  the  porch  with  her,  only  to  find 
her  at  the  gate  before  he  had  his  horse  untied — 
something  important  she  had  forgotten  to  tell  him, 
yet  which  she  could  not,  for  the  life  of  her,  recall 
at  once  upon  joining  him  again;  so  he  must  wait 
while  she  tried  to  recall  it.  He  had  started  as  many 
as  ....  ?  .  .  .  .  separate  and  distinct  times,  and 
each  time  it  was  harder  than  the  time  before.  At 
last  he  had  managed  to  mount  his  horse,  hopeful  that 
the  animal  might  be  able  to  do  the  rest.  It  had 
been  able,  but  it  would  be  some  time  before  the 
poor  brute  could  again  go  into  active  service.  And 
after  all  the  haste,  that  confounded  train  was  be- 
hind time,  time  enough  for  at  least  another  .... 

The  young  man's  meditations  were  broken  into 
by  the  arrival  of  a  carriage  at  the  side  of  the  plat- 
form— the  Eldhurst  carriage.  He  watched  William 
swing  the  sorrels  round  in  his  familiar,  dextrous 
way,  dismount  from  the  seat  and  open  the  door  for 
his  young  master.  That  worthy  walked  straight 


378  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

to  the  telegraph  office  and  came  as  straight  back, 
swearing  in  true  Eldreth  style  over  the  lateness  of 
the  train  from  Denver.  He  consulted  his  watch, 
dismissed  the  carriage  and  he  too  began  walking  the 
platform. 

"  Why,  hello,  Paul." 

"  Hello,  Dick." 

The  two  had  come  face  to  face  under  the  big  arc 
light ;  that  "  Hermosa "  hidden  away  barely  in 
time. 

"  This  damned  train's  always  late,"  fumed  Rich- 
ard. 

"  Seems  so,"  assented  the  other,  slipping  the 
strap  of  his  small  grip  from  his  shoulder  and  stop- 
ping to  light  a  cigar. 

His  companion  also  proceeded  to  light  a  cigarette, 
neither  offering  the  other  the  contents  of  his  cigar- 
case.  Richard  sat  down  on  the  edge  of  a  trunk  that 
awaited  the  up  train;  Paul  stood  leaning  against  a 
telegraph  pole,  his  valise  at  his  feet.  They  were 
practically  alone.  They  smoked  in  silence  for  some 
minutes,  then  Richard  said : 

"  You're  just  from  that  meeting,  I  take  it.  The 
governor  detailed  me  the  situation.  I  suppose 
they'll  make  me  all  the  trouble  possible  ?  " 

"  I  think  not.  Only  regular  business  was  trans- 
acted, besides  consideration  of  wage-reduction  next 
week." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  379 

"  Will  work  go  on  Monday  ?  " 

"  Yes/' 

"And  the  rest  of  it?" 

"  Will  depend 

"  On  how  they're  handled  ?  Well,  it  will  not  be 
with  gloves  nor  tongs.  That  whole  gang  up  there 
has  been  spoiled.  Ingham  and  the  Parson  and  the 
rest  of  you  have  made  them  believe  they  are  doing 
Eldhurst  a  great  favor  by  condescending  to  develop 
her  quarries.  And  I've  no  doubt  by  this  time  they 
are  persuaded  that  the  only  difference  between  the 
village  and  the  House  is  the  elevation  of  their  re- 
spective hills.  Well,  the  present  administration  may 
show  them  a  trick  or  two." 

Paul  made  no  comment.  He  did  not  always  give 
advice  when  requested,  and  in  this  case,  the  request 
was  lacking. 

Through  the  silence  that  followed  his  thoughts 
strayed  far  from  union  meetings  and  threatened 
strikes.  He  smoked  on,  regarding  the  dark  engag- 
ing face  of  his  companion,  with  new  interest.  The 
same  shadowy  eyes  with  thick,  silken  lashes,  the 
same  passionate,  perfect  mouth.  Then  too,  the 
same  impatience  of  responsibility,  the  same  reckless 
disregard  of  consequences,  the  same  disposition  to 

dance  too  near  irruptive  craters Yes,  the 

resemblance  was  strong,  he  had  to  acknowledge,  be- 
tween the  woman  he  loved  and  this  man  whom  he 


380  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

did  not  love.  .  .  .  After  all,  he  was  her  brother ;  in 
her  father's  absence,  the  head  of  her  house;  and  as 
such,  possibly  an  intimation  was  due  him  of  the 
very  unexpected  which  was  to  happen  so  soon. 
Anyway,  it  seemed  the  decent  thing  to  do.  So,  for 
once,  he  spoke  on  impulse. 

"  I'm  glad  we  met,  Dick,  for  there  is  something 
I  want  to  tell  you.  The  tidings  will  be  most  un- 
welcome to  you,  the  situation  unpleasant.  You,  I 
think,  will  understand  without  detailing.  For 
some  time  I  have  known  that  you  were  acquainted 
with  the  true  state  of  affairs,  not  blind  as  all  the 
others  have  been.  Of  course  the  relationship  of 
brothers  will  be  repugnant  to  us  both.  Since  we 
were  boys,  there  has  been  no  love  lost  between  us. 
So,  when  I  claim  my  own  (so  soon  as  I  come  down 
again)  you  will  resent  it,  naturally,  since  my  great 
gain  is  your  loss.  Our  kinship,  however,  yours  and 
mine,  will  be  in  name  only,  and  fortunately  there  is 
no  law  compelling  us  to  live  in  the  same  county." 

He  paused,  meeting  Richard's  astonished  stare 
with  a  half-smile  and  continuing: 

"  Mother  Marah  is  kind  enough  to  assume  the 
responsibility  for  my  sudden  good  fortune.  I  fan- 
cied from  something  she  said  that  it  pleased  her  to 
believe  the  credit  wholly  hers;  and  of  course  I 
indulged  her,  since,  from  Eden  down,  women  have 
been  the  responsibility-takers."  He  laughed  softly, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  381 

his  mind  running  back  to  his  interview  with  his 
mother  the  day  Lilys  arrived  from  Boston,  and  he 
ended :  "  At  any  rate,  but  for  certain  revelations  she 
made  to  me,  I'm  afraid  I  should  never  have  gath- 
ered the  necessary  courage." 

Richard  continued  to  stare  up  at  him  quite  speech- 
less. To  his  mind,  alert  and  not  wholly  innocent, 
the  words  he  had  heard  were  freighted  with  an  im- 
port all  undreamed  by  the  speaker.  "  Unwelcome 
tidings,"  "  unpleasant  situation,"  "true  state  of  af- 
fairs," "relationship  of  brothers,"  "  when  I  claim 
my  own,"  "  my  gain  your  loss," — to  Richard's 
mind,  all  these  could  mean  but  one  thing.  And 
if  other  proof  were  wanting,  Marah  was  "  respon- 
sible for  the  sudden  good  fortune,"  through  "  cer- 
tain revelations  "  she  had  made.  Aye,  certain  rev- 
elations she  had  sworn  to  him,  Richard,  never  to 
make,  though  she  died  for  them.  Yet  she  had  be- 
trayed them ;  that  was  evident.  The  secret  was  out, 
— and  to  Paul,  of  all  men.  Oh,  curse  a  woman  any- 
way— always  at  the  bottom  of  a  man's  trouble ! 

"  Well,"  he  growled  out  at  last,  tugging  sul- 
lenly at  a  strap  of  the  trunk  on  which  he  sat,  "  what 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

"Do?"  laughed  the  other,  little  dreaming  the 
construction  that  had  been  placed  upon  his  words. 
"  Is  there  any  question  in  your  mind  ?  What  would 
you  do?  " 


382  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  What  you  will,  I  suppose — fight  it  through. 
But  it  won't  be  as  easy  as  it  looks.  I  for  one  will 
do  my  little  best  against  it,  that  I  promise  you. 
Why  shouldn't  I?  And  then  there's  the  governor. 
Does  he  know  ?  " 

"  Assuredly  not.  Why,  I  myself  have  known  it 
only  since  dinner.  I  did  take  half  a  minute  to  tell 
Mr.  Allan ;  but  he  is  the  only  one." 

"  Humph !  And  I  suppose  he  is  delighted, 
charmed." 

"  He  seemed  so ;  but  being  in  that  state  myself, 
allowance  will  have  to  be  made  for  my  impressions. 
The  whole  thing  is  still  so  new  to  me  that  I'm  not  at 
all  sure  of  my  own  name." 

"  Well,  being  sure  of  it  yourself  and  making 
others  sure  of  it  you'll  find,  are  two  distinct  proposi- 
tions. It  will  be  a  pretty  fight,  with  the  burden  of 
proof  all  on  you." 

His  companion  gave  him  a  quick,  puzzled  glance. 
"  I  presume  I'm  dense,  but  I  don't  follow  you." 

"  You  don't  think  I  am  one  to  give  up  till  the 
last  ditch  on  a  transaction  of  this  sort.  I  have  some 
influence  with  my  father  and  with  her  too.  Who 
wants  half  a  fortune  when  there's  a  fighting  chance 
for  the  whole  ?  " 

Paul  threw  away  his  cigar  and  came  a  step  nearer. 
"  We  would  do  well  to  get  together,  Eldreth,"  he 
smiled,  "  You  are  talking  of  one  matter,  I  of  an- 
other, it  appears." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  383 

"  I  wish  to  the  Lord  we  were !  Personally,  I 
prefer  some  other  topic  or  no  topic  at  all.  You 
surely  don't  flatter  yourself  that  I  relish  the  situa- 
tion, appealing  though  it  be,  even  to  my  sense  of 
humor.  Oh,  it's  too  cursed  ridiculous!  Borders 
on  the  yellow,  too,  don't  you  think  ?  /  the  bastard 
of  your  foster  mother;  you  the  legitimate  of  my 
step-mother !  Unique,  isn't  it  ?  Harry  Wentworth 
would  give  his  ears  for  such  '  copy.'  " 

Paul  fell  back  the  step  he  had  taken  and  stood 
staring,  in  his  turn,  as  though  suddenly  bereft  of  his 
senses.  For  one  instant  his  heart  almost  ceased. 
Then  his  swift  mind  reviewed  the  dialogue  by  this 
new  and  blinding  light.  He  saw  the  whole  from 
Richard's  standpoint;  seized  upon  the  truth,  made 
his  by  accident,  and  fitted  it  to  its  exact  place.  And 
then  ....  He  clung  to  the  telegraph  pole  for 
support,  great  drops  forcing  themselves  upon  his 
pale  forehead. 

"  Merciful  God!  "  he  whispered,  "  if  I  am — what 
you  say — what  of  her — her — my  promised  wife?  '' 

And  then  it  was  that  Richard  Eldreth  could  have 
bitten  out  his  blundering  tongue;  for  he  knew  that 
it  had  been  the  first  to  intimate  to  the  man  before 
him  his  true  position ! 

Swinging  round  on  the  trunk  with  his  back  to 
the  agonized  suppliant,  he  did  more  rapid  thinking 
in  the  minute  that  followed  than  ever  before  in  all 


384  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

indolent,  care-free  life.  Two  ways  were  open  to 
him,  and  he  ran  each  down  to  its  logical  conclusion. 
Marah — she  had  betrayed  nothing.  It  all  rested 
with  her,  and  he  could  influence  her,  sway  her  to 
his  wishes,  absolutely.  Let  Paul  rest  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  half  truth,  as  now  ....  and  the  Eld- 
reth  fortune  would  be  divided  by  three.  That  was 
one  way.  But  Paul  had  said  "  my  promised  wife." 
Tell  him  the  whole  truth,  and  what  then?  He, 
Richard,  could  influence  his  father,  for  he  had  long 
known  that  he  was  the  favorite  child.  Once  that 
marriage  were  consummated  (misalliance,  it  would 
be  in  Pierce  Eldreth's  eyes,  viewed  in  what  light 
soever)  and  there  would  follow  repudiation,  disin- 
heritance ; — and  the  Eldreth  fortune  divided  by  ONE. 
His  choice  was  made.  He  turned  about,  for  the 
grasp  on  his  arm  was  painful,  the  hoarse  voice  more 
than  imploring : 

"  For  her  sake,  man,  if  you  know,  who  is  she — 
— what  is  she?  In  God's  name,  tell  me!  " 

"  Oh,  don't  be  a  fool,"  he  remonstrated,  twisting 
from  the  grasp,  "  The  Honorable  Pierce  is  not  re- 
sponsible for  all  of  us.  There  are  others,  or  were. 
Give  the  Mexican  some  credit,  anyway  for  the  tropi- 
cal temper  and  the  torrid  emotions  and  the  good 
looks  of  his  race.  The  girl  is  no  blood  relation  of 
yours,  at  any  rate,  and  you  might  have  had  her  on  a 
man's  terms  any  hour  the  past  year  or  longer. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  385 

That'll  be  the  only  way,  let  me  tell  you,  for  if  Puri- 
tan and  peon  blood  are  to  mix  for  a  new  breed,  it'll 
never  be  with  parental  consent  nor  priestly  sanction. 
But  you  won't  have  to  plead  on  bended  knees.  If 
you  don't  know  your  name  now,  she  never  has 
known  hers — in  both  senses.  She's  been  over  heels 
in  love  with  you  ever  since  you  beat  me  up  for  try- 
ing to  slap  some  sense  into  her.  And  she  isn't  a 
beauty  at  all,  and  she  hasn't  trailed  you  round,  all 
places  and  all  hours?  Oh,  you  infernal  fool — the 
chances  you've  let  slip!  The  lady  and  the  hired 
man !  Clever,  you  are !  Why, — ha,  ha  !  Marah 
Maitland's  the  only  bright  one  at  Eldhurst.  I  won- 
der the  rest  of  you  have  kept  out  of  the  home  for 
simple-minded, — you,  the  honorable  sire,  the  pious 
uncle  and  all  concerned." 

But  Paul  had  heard  nothing  after  the  first  two  or 
three  sentences,  and  once  comprehending  their  im- 
port, he  had  staggered  forward  and  collapsed  upon 
the  trunk  beside  his  companion,  and  now  sat  wiping 
his  brow  and  breathing  heavily. 

The  faint  whistle  of  a  train  sounded  from  the 
south. 

"  So  it  seems  you  were  right;  that  we  were  talk- 
ing of  wholly  different  matters.  And  you  can't 
deplore  our  '  getting  together '  any  more  than  I  do. 
Now,  if  you  will  pardon  a  brother's  presumption,  I 
will  again  put  my  vital  question:  What  are  you 
going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 


386  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

The  man  beside  him  made  no  reply.  He  arose 
and  walked  to  the  extreme  end  of  the  platform,  sev- 
eral yards  distant,  and  stood  staring  into  the  night — 
and  into  the  future.  Six  hours  ago  and  he  had  been 
compelled  to  reshape  his  entire  future.  Was  it  all 
to  be  done  again  ?  Two  ways  lay  open  to  him  also. 
He  too  thought  rapidly  with  characteristic  power  of 
adjustment,  power  to  accept  this,  reject  that,  to  esti- 
mate and  weigh  truths  for  their  right  value. 
Swiftly  he  followed  those  two  separate  lines  to  their 
logical  ends. 

The  man  on  the  trunk  sat  his  eyes  riveted  on  the 
silhouette  of  that  motionless  figure ;  sat  thinking  his 
own  thoughts,  and  they  too  were  characteristic. 

The  rumble  of  the  incoming  train  sounded  more 
distinct;  the  platform  began  to  tremble  with  trans- 
mitted vibrations.  Trucks  clattered,  lanterns  glim- 
mered and  sleepy  depot-employes  appeared. 

Paul  came  back  with  quick  firm  step.  His  brow 
was  clear.  His  choice  was  also  made.  He  spoke 
rapidly. 

"  Can  I  rely  upon  you  to  keep  this  secret?  " 

"Well,  rather!"  drawled  the  other,  "It  isn't 
news  I'd  enjoy  peddling  about.  Till  you  come 
down,  of  course  you  mean?  " 

"No;  always." 

"WHAT!" 

"  It  will  depend  upon  you." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  387 

The  other  sprang  to  his  feet,  thrusting  out  an 
eager  palm. 

"  Will  you  give  me  your  hand  on  that?  " 

Paul  turned,  picked  up  his  grip  and  slipped  the 
strap  up  over  his  shoulder,  for  the  train  had  come 
to  a  standstill. 

"  I  would,"  he  said  coldly,  "  except  that  gentlemen 
do  not  so  seal  compacts  with  men  of  my  class.  I  am 
a  Menendez,  remember.  Still,  my  spoken  word  is 
fairly  reliable.  Good  night." 

With  hands  plunged  deep  in  his  pockets  and  feet 
wide  apart,  Richard  Eldreth  stood  staring  after  him 
as  he  swung  up  and  disappeared  in  the  smoker  of  the 
now  moving  train. 

"  Well — I'll  be— damned!  "  he  muttered. 


388  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE   CONSPIRATORS. 

THE  reduction  in  wages  at  the  quarries  went  into 
effect  on  Monday  according  to  program ;  but  the 
counsel  of  the  cooler  heads  prevailed,  and  Paul's 
talk  on  Saturday  night  and  his  personal  influence 
among  the  men  before  he  left  sufficed  to  send  them 
to  work  Monday  morning.  Yet  there  were  black 
looks  and  talking  in  knots  and  much  slackness  in  the 
work,  though  the  burly  Schmidt  stood  over  them  in 
person  like  a  veritable  slave-driver. 

It  was  Antonio  Garia  and  Marah  who  precipitated 
the  strike  after  all.  In  this  wise:  Antonio  came 
down  from  the  mill  late  Saturday  night  to  learn 
the  action  of  the  quarries  union,  that  he  might  report 
it  to  Lodge  Number  Two.  Like  the  others,  he  suc- 
cumbed to  Paul's  persuasion,  and  promised  surely  to 
return  to  the  camp  after  he  had  spent  the  next  day 
with  Ruth. 

But  when  Paul  had  gone  and  Antonio  after  the 
meeting  found  Ruth  at  home  with  the  Schmidts; 
when  he  learned  that  Richard  Eldreth  was  to  man- 
age affairs  in  his  father's  absence  and  that  he  had 
spent  the  early  part  of  Saturday  evening  at  the 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  389 

Schmidts'  instead  of  at  Howard's,  Antonio  straight- 
way forgot  his  promises  to  Paul,  bribed  Pepito,  his 
brother,  to  carry  the  report  to  the  mill  Sunday  morn- 
ing and  sent  a  letter  to  Webb  stating  that  while 
the  strike  had  not  yet  been  declared  it  would  cer- 
tainly be  in  a  few  days,  and  that  he  thought  it 
scarcely  worth  while  for  him,  Antonio,  to  return  to 
work. 

This  done,  Antonio  went  straight  to  Schmidt's, 
told  Ruth  to  pack  her  trunk  and  come  with  him  to 
Marah's  where  he  had  arranged  for  her  to  remain 
till  Paul  took  his  mother  away.  He  said  nothing 
about  young  Eldreth;  merely  told  her  there  was 
going  to  be  trouble  in  Quarry  Town,  and  he  would 
rather  she  would  not  be  there. 

Ruth  objected  and  coaxed  and  cried,  but  in  the 
end  she  yielded,  for  she  feared  this  black-eyed,  fiery- 
hearted  lover  of  hers.  But  she  revenged  herself  by 
sending  a  note  over  to  the  House  by  little  Fritz 
Schmidt  explaining  to  Richard  that  she  was  going 
against  her  wishes ;  that  she  could  not  meet  him  till 
Antonio  returned  to  the  mill;  and  whatever  he  did 
not  to  try  to  see  her  at  Marah's,  with  whom  Antonio 
had  some  sort  of  understanding. 

When  Antonio  was  leaving,  after  seeing  Ruth 
ensconsed  in  the  Menendez  cottage,  ftfarah  followed 
him  into  the  porch  and  looking  into  his  eyes,  ques- 
tioned : 


390  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Are  you  men  up  at  Quarry  Town  going  to  al- 
low yourselves  to  be  soft-soaped  by  the  boy  Paul 
into  coming  to  Pierce  Eldreth's  terms?  Are  you 
slaves  with  no  rights  ?  " 

"  But  I  promised  Paul,"  hesitated  Garia. 

"  Oh,  promised  Paul !  "  mimicked  Marah. 

"What  can  I  do  alone?" 

"  Haven't  you  a  tongue  in  your  head  ?  Doesn't 
it  generally  get  what  you  want?  Or  is  that  true 
only  among  your  women  friends  ? "  sneered  his 
companion,  "  His  tongue  is  all  that  Paul  used,  but 
he  seems  to  have  the  whole  lot  of  you  fairly  hypno- 
tized. Eldreth  got  the  Stanger  &  Franklin  court- 
house contract;  Schmidt  told  me  so  himself,  and 
there  are  several  others  as  good  in  view.  Why  this 
reduction?  Why  aren't  all  the  men  at  work? 
Wrhat  good  are  unions,  anyway  ?  Why  are  you,  one 
of  their  best  quarrymen,  kept  up  in  the  woods,  in- 
stead of  being,  by  this  time,  a  crew-foreman  along 
with  Gustav?  When  you  can  answer  these  ques- 
tions, you  may  talk  to  me  about  some  petty  prom- 
ises better  broken  than  kept."  And  she  turned  back 
into  the  house. 

Antonio's  conscience  protested  feebly  as  he  de- 
scended the  hill.  He  knew  how  much  he  owed  to 
Paul  in  Ruth's  case;  he'd  feel  like  a  sneak  to  try  to 
undo  his  good  work  at  Quarry  Town,  and  he  away 
too.  He  hated  the  Boss,  it  was  true,  and  as  for  the 
Boss's  son 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  391 

A  small  boy  came  running  up  the  hill.  Antonio 
had  seen  him  part  from  a  certain  well-dressed  figure 
in  the  House  yard  and  come  running  down  the 
opposite  hill  past  the  summer-house,  and 

"  Where  are  you  going?  "  he  called  suspiciously. 

The  boy  made  a  wide  detour,  fear  in  his  eyes; 
but  he  stumbled  and  the  man  pounced  cat-like  upon 
him  and  shook  him. 

"  To  ....  to  see  Ruth,"  whimpered  the  child. 

"  From  whom  ?  Tell  the  truth,  you  son  of  a 
Dutchman,  or  I'll  put  holes  through  you." 

"  From  him,"  nodding  toward  the  House  where 
the  well-dressed  figure  could  be  seen  slowly  pacing 
the  veranda. 

"  And  you've  got  a  letter,"  hurling  him  to  the 
ground  and  jerking  him  up  again,  "  Give  it  up!  " 

But  only  a  bright  silver  dollar  rolled  from  the 
boy's  pocket. 

"  No,  I  haf  not,  ach  mein  Gott,  I  haf  not !  "  His 
consternation  was  too  genuine  to  be  doubted.  He 
would  have  given  up  his  ears  to  that  terrible  man. 

"  What  were  you  to  see  her  for?  What  were  you 
to  say?  Out  with  it — every  word,"  insisted  his 
captor,  one  hand  on  his  revolver. 

"  He  said,"  gulped  the  frightened  child,  greedily 
concealing  his  ill-gotten  silver,  "  he  dit  say — tell — 
her  all  right — he  vud  see  her." 

"The  devil  he  did!"  muttered  Antonio,  "You 


392  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

dare  to  tell  her  one  word  of  it  and  I'll  kill  you,  that's 
all.  Come  with  me !  " 

As  he  marched  his  little  prisoner  before  him  to 
the  quarries,  his  wrath  fermented  more  and  more. 
Dick  Elclreth  sending  word  to  his  Ruth  "  All  right, 
he'd  see  her."  Dios  nos  libre!  What  next?  And 
what  was  "  allright  "  ?  He  would  see  her,  and  he, 
Antonio  Garia,  there  at  Eldhurst.  See  her?  Cuerpo 
de  Dios!  he'd  see  hell  first!  Oh  yes,  it  would  be 
"  all  right,"  sure.  That  did  settle  it.  Marah  would 
see  if  he  had  a  tongue  in  his  head,  and  if  love-mak- 
ing was  all  it  was  good  for ! 

He  went  direct  to  Anderson's  where  Gustav 
Swensson  sat  in  gloomy  silence  at  the  bedside  of  his 
sick  wife;  where  Hilma's  father,  one  of  the  men  laid 
off,  sat  brooding  over  his  double  wrong.  From 
them  he  went  among  the  other  idle  men,  and  Ander- 
son went  with  him.  Then  the  two  went  after  hours, 
among  those  who  were  working  at  the  cut  wages, 
and  by  ridicule,  goading  and  misrepresentation, 
subtly  undid  Paul's  work. 

And  Marah,  who  was  nursing  Hilma,  dropped 
potent  words  on  her  journeys  to  and  fro,  and  thus 
the  leaven  worked. 

By  Tuesday  night  another  meeting  was  called. 
Antonio  addressed  it  with  fiery  eloquence,  and  An- 
derson, who  was  greatly  respected,  spoke  a  few 
short,  telling  sentences  in  the  young  orator's  sup- 
port. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  393 

The  elder  Johnson,  one  of  the  "  cooler  heads," 
made  a  blunt,  sturdy  speech  opposing  them,  and  he 
was  followed  by  Peterson,  who  stumblingly  re- 
capitulated the  dire  results  of  a  strike,  as  Paul  had 
detailed  them,  and  reminded  the  men  of  their  prom- 
ises to  their  old-time  foreman. 

But  before  Peterson  had  fairly  finished,  Antonio 
was  on  his  feet.  He  talked  with  the  fluency  of  the 
natural  orator,  with  the  headlong  passion  of  his 
stormy  race.  He  reviewed  the  wrongs  of  the  quarry- 
men,  beginning  far  back;  he  called  up  the  occasion 
of  the  former  cut  in  wages,  and  the  unexecuted 
threats  of  a  strike  made  at  that  time.  He  asked  the 
men  whose  names  had  been  stricken  from  the  pay- 
roll how  fast  they  were  reducing  their  debt  to  their 
master — with  scornful  emphasis  on  the  last  word. 
He  asked  them  how  they  liked  eating  Eldhurst 
bread,  living  in  Eldhurst  houses,  and  handling  Eld- 
hurst  scrip  ?  He  dealt  out  the  information  that  half 
the  force  at  half  pay  was  expected  to  fill  all  the 
Stanger  and  Franklin  contracts  for  the  season,  the 
Springs  paving  and  heaven  only  knew  how  many 
others,  while  that  damned  aristocrat  pocketed  the 
profits  and  he  and  his  white-handed  son  laughed  in 
their  sleeves  at  the  numbskull  Swedes. 

Johnson  tried  to  make  himself  heard  in  the  hub- 
hub  that  followed  Garia's  speech,  but  failing,  left 
the  hall  followed  bv  his  son,  Fredericks,  Peterson 


394  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

and  a  few  others,  leaving  the  meeting  in  the  hands 
of  the  extremists. 

A  strike  was  at  once  declared  and  the  adjourn- 
ment made  in  confusion. 

Wednesday  morning  the  quarries  were  silent  as  a 
graveyard.  Not  a  hammer  was  lifted. 


"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  asked  Richard 
Eldreth  when,  called  down  to  the  office  hours  before 
his  usual  rising  time,  he  faced  Schmidt,  across  the 
paper-piled  desk. 

"  Vhot  pe  you  goin'  to  do  ?  You  is  Poss  here 
now,"  returned  the  quarry-foreman  eyeing  the 
young  man  askance.  "  I  know  vhot  I  vud  to,  py 
Gott!" 

Richard  shuffled  a  pile  of  unopened  mail  uneasily. 
This  was  a  new  and  welcome  experience  to  him. 

"  I'll  telegraph  my  father  at  the  Brown  to  send  us 
up  some  new  men  from  Denver.  If  he's  already 
started  east,  we'll  get  some  from  Boulder  and  here- 
about. Go  to  town  with  William  when  he  takes  the 
telegram;  wait  for  and  open  the  reply,  and  while 
you're  waiting,  look  around  for  non-union  men.  I'll 
see  you  when  you  get  back,  Schmidt.  Just  now  I'm 
so  infernal  sleepy  I  don't  know  straight  up.  Why,  it 
isn't  daylight  and  I  just  got  in  from  town,  not  two 
hours  ago.  Here's  your  telegram.  I'm  going  back 
to  bed.  Even  if  the  new  force  comes  from  Denver, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  395 

they  should  be  here  to-night,  and  at  work  by  to- 
morrow." 


The  telegram  did  not  find  its  recipient  in  Denver. 
The  Brown  Palace  replied  that  Mr.  Eldreth  had  left 
for  Chicago  on  Tuesday  evening,  with  instruction 
for  mail  to  follow  for  ten  days,  care  the  Auditorium 
Annex. 

So  Richard  took  a  brace  of  "  Scotch  "  without 
the  soda,  added  what  he  could  to  Schmidt's  motley 
collection  of  new  men,  mostly  Italians  recently  from 
Elclora  and  other  near  mining  camps,  and  on  Thurs- 
day work  in  the  quarries  was  resumed. 

Not  hearing  from  Webb  by  Pepito,  and  fearful 
lest  Lodge  Number  Two  might  weaken,  Antonio 
tore  himself  away  from  Ruth  and  broke  all  records 
going  to  the  lumber-camp.  This  was  Thursday 
night. 

Ruth  took  prompt  advantage  of  her  bethrothed's 
absence  to  send  a  message  to  the  House  with  in- 
formation of  that  absence.  She  believed  that  she 
risked  nothing  by  so  doing.  Her  father  was  in  Den- 
ver, Paul  at  the  mine,  Miss  Howard  was  attending 
the  Chautauqua  which  holds  each  summer  just  out- 
side Boulder,  and  Antonio  could  not  possibly  reach 
Eldhurst  till  after  ten  that  evening.  So  the  coast 
was  clear.  Even  Pepito  was  most  of  the  time  at  the 
rectory. 

Now  it  chanced  that  Richard  had  quarreled  with 


396  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

his  fiancee  on  the  Saturday  before.  Lilys  being 
unwilling  to  leave  her  Uncle's  bedside,  young  Nolan 
had  been  summoned  from  Denver  to  make  tenor 
substitutes  for  the  soprano  parts  in  the  duets  as- 
signed Misses  Eldreth  and  Howard  on  the  Chautau- 
qua  programs.  He  had  needed  much  practice,  and 
Miss  Howard's  time  had  been  given  wholly  to  him, 
under  her  father's  exacting  tutorage;  and  in  Rich- 
ard's opinion  this  "  monopoly "  had  been  "  out- 
rageous." 

Saturday  afternoon  he  had  sulked  at  the  House 
rather  than  hear  her  even  "  singing  love  to  another 
fellow ;  "  the  early  part  of  Saturday  evening  he  had 
passed  with  Ruth  at  the  Schmidts ;  the  night  he  had 
spent  in  Boulder  with  boon  companions  from  Den- 
ver. The  next  day  he  had  absented  himself  from 
services,  both  morning  and  evening,  because  "  that 
prig  Nolan  "  would  be  in  the  choir ;  and  Monday 
morning  he  had  viewed  from  the  House  the  de- 
parture of  the  Howards  and  their  guest  for  the 
Chautauqua  encampment,  whence  they  would  not  re- 
turn till  the  following  Sunday  morning. 

So  it  was  that  half  through  spite,  half  through 
ennui  and  wholly  through  recklessness,  Richard  de- 
cided to  respond  in  person  to  Ruth's  laborious,  mis- 
spelled note.  Life  was  threatening  again  to  become 
stale,  flat  and  unprofitable,  and  a  bit  of  pirouetting 
on  the  edge  of  an  irruptive  crater  might  prove  blood- 
stirring. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  397 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE   WOMAN    WHO  DELIBERATES. 

RUTH  "  felt  "  that  Richard  would  come;  so  after 
she  had  helped  Marah  with  the  supper  dishes,  she 
retired  to  Paul's  room,  which  she  occupied  during 
his  absence,  to  dress  for  her  "  gentleman  caller." 

Paul  had  all  but  faded  from  her  impressionable 
mind.  She  was  not  one  to  cherish  a  hopeless  at- 
tachment, and  hopeless  it  certainly  was  in  face  of  his 
brotherly  attitude  toward  her.  She  had  exhausted 
her  wiles  on  him ;  had  written  him  at  Ward  and 
waylaid  him  at  Eldhurst — in  vain.  But  anyway,  she 
had  forever  "  fixed  things  "  between  him  and  the 
Boss's  daughter,  and  with  that  "  fixing  "  she  must 
rest  content. 

So,  for  months,  she  had  dreamed  of  the  hand- 
some wicked  eyes  of  Richard  Eldreth,  in  fact,  ever 
since  he  had  kissed  her  there  at  Marah's  the  day  of 
their  "  understanding,"  if  not  engagement.  In  a 
secret  compartment  of  her  little  trunk  she  had  con- 
cealed a  picture  of  him  cut  from  one  of  the  Denver 
society  papers,  and  nightly  she  gazed  at  it,  building 
castles  which  enlarged  with  her  gazing. 

But  a  merciful  Providence  seemed  guarding  An- 


398  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

tonio's  foolish  young  sweetheart,  for,  though  her 
father  was  at  Ward  and  her  betrothed  at  the  lumber- 
camp,  opportunities  for  meeting  Eldreth  during  the 
past  few  months  had  been  rare.  He  had  been  gone 
during  the  winter  and  all  spring  the  House  had  been 
full  of  men.  There  had  been  "  stag  doings,"  ex- 
tended shooting  tramps  in  the  hills  and  prolonged 
visits  to  Denver,  and  Miss  Howard  had  seemed  to 
require  the  remainder  of  the  young  man's  time.  So 
all  that  had  passed  between  him  and  his  "  Quarry 
Town  girl,"  were  a  hurried  whisper  in  the  church 
aisle  before  the  members  of  the  choir  came  down 
from  the  gallery,  and  a  snatched  moment  or  two 
at  the  back  gate. 

With  the  transfer  of  her  sentiment  from  Paul  to 
Richard,  her  resentment  naturally  changed  from 
Miss  Eldreth  to  Miss  Howard.  One  of  Ruth  Brad- 
ley's  type  seldom  forgives  the  superiority  she  can 
not  deny,  and  Miss  Howard's  kindness  to  Ruth, 
had,  in  that  aspiring  young  lady's  opinion,  always 
been  alloyed  with  condescension.  There  had  been 
some  little  friction  just  lately.  Miss  Howard,  as 
head  of  the  mission  school  in  Paul's  absence,  had 
found  it  necessary  to  put  a  stop  to  a  foolish  flirta- 
tion Ruth  was  carrying  on  with  one  of  the  older 
boys,  and  the  interference  was  resented.  And  only 
a  night  or  two  after  that,  as  Nina  and  Ruth  were 
leaving  the  schoolhouse,  they  had  met  Richard,  who 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  399 

without  a  moment's  hesitation  gave  his  arm  to  the 
former,  with  only  a  nod  and  a  word  to  the  other. 

These  matters  rankled ;  and  Ruth  devised  a 
scheme  to  serve  herself  and  her  revenge  at  the  same 
time.  For  she  had  made  up  her  mind  that  she  was 
worthy  a  better  match  than  a  mill-hand.  Had  not 
her  cousin  Maude  married  a  gentleman?  And  was 
not  Michael  Bradley  now  a  well-to-do  mining  man  ? 
So  his  daughter's  ambitions  had  mounted  till  she 
pictured  herself  mistress  of  her  self-built  castle, 
which  castle  grew  more  and  more  to  resemble  the 
House  on  the  hill. 

But  about  her  scheme:  The  great  annual  Festi- 
val of  Mountain  and  Plain  in  Denver  would  be  held 
a  month  earlier  than  usual  this  year,  on  account  of 
some  big  national  convention,  and  already  the 
maids  of  honor,  one  young  woman,  supposedly  the 
prettiest  and  most  popular,  from  each  county,  were 
being  appointed  to  attend  the  queen  of  carnival, 
usually  a  Denver  girl.  Ruth  had  induced  her  father 
to  take  up  the  matter  of  her  appointment  from  their 
county ;  and  armed  with  her  photograph,  his  friends' 
"  pulls  "  and  his  own  Irish  eloquence,  he  had  de- 
scended upon  the  appointing  committee  on  his 
daughter's  behalf.  Of  his  success,  he  had  assured 
her,  there  was  little  doubt.  This  very  week  he  was 
in  Denver,  buying  new  machinery  for  the  Hopeful, 
and  incidentally  laboring  with  the  committee, 


400  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Already  she  had  planned  her  dress,  a  bright  red 
silk  with  big  appliques  of  ecru  all  over  it,  rather  low 
neck  and  a  very  long  train,  her  first.  She  had  lost 
sleep,  picturing  herself  in  the  decorated  carriages 
with  the  other  maids  in  the  illuminated  procession 
attended  by  the  gaily-attired  outriders,  Slaves  of 
the  Silver  Serpents,  a  most  exclusive  society  to 
which  she  knew  the  Boss's  son  belonged.  The 
Slaves'  annual  ball  at  the  Brown  Palace  was  a  social 
event;  Ruth  was  a  pretty  dancer,  a  pretty  girl,  her 
father  a  rich  man — and  so  her  ambition  ran  riot. 

This  evening  as  she  dressed  for  her  high-born 
lover,  the  excitement  of  castle-building  gave  added 
color  to  her  always  blooming  cheeks  and  a  sparkle 
to  her  eye;  though  there  was  animation  enough  in 
the  thought  of  her  enviable  position — one  lover 
scarcely  out  of  sight  before  the  prompt  appearance 
of  his  rival. 

Mr.  Richard  had  said  she  was  the  prettiest  girl  in 
Eldhurst,  and  her  glass  confirmed  his  judgment. 
She  had  selected  for  this  evening  a  pink  lawn  dress 
with  a  vivid  purple  flower  in  it,  had  bound  her  waist 
and  her  hair  with  lavender  ribbons.  Then  with 
trembling  fingers  she  tucked  in  the  high  neck,  pin- 
ning it  to  form  a  low  V  in  front,  which  opening  she 
edged  with  a  piece  of  wide-meshed  yellow  lace,  and 
blushingly  surveyed  the  effect.  Why  shouldn't  she 
expose  her  throat?  Didn't  even  scrupulous  Miss 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  401 

Howard  bare  her  shoulders,  and  as  for  Lilys  Eld- 
reth,  her  evening  dresses  were  sights  to  behold — 
just  no  waist  at  all. 

While  she  was  delightedly  viewing  this  careful 
toilet  in  the  glass,  bowing  and  smiling  to  it,  her 
caller  arrived.  She  could  hear  him  talking  with 
Marah  in  the  next  room. 

She  paused  in  the  act  of  fastening  a  bid  red  dahlia 
in  her  hair.  What  was  that  he  was  saying?  "Maid 
of  honor  from  Boulder  county "  ?  Ah,  then  he 
knew.  But,  listen : 

"  I  doubt  if  she  will  accept.  It  was  wholly  un- 
solicited, though  of  course  no  one  will  believe  but 
the  governor  pulled  his  political,  and  I,  my  social 
strings.  Anyway,  after  she'd  given  me  the  letter 
from  the  committee  she  laid  it  upon  the  piano  and 
went  on  singing  her  Chautauqua  songs  as  though 
such  appointments  were  every-day  affairs  and  not 
the  ambition  of  every  girl  in  Colorado,  pretty  or  un- 
pretty." 

So  Nina  Howard  was  to  be  maid  of  honor  from 
Boulder!  Tears  of  disappointment  and  anger  rose 
to  the  eyes  of  the  listening  girl.  Unsolicited,  in- 
deed! Ruth  knew  better.  It  was  a  piece  of  spite 
work  on  Miss  Howard's  part,  just  because  she 
knew  that  Richard  cared  most  for  her,  Ruth.  The 
lines  about  her  mouth  hardened,  and  a  look  of  de- 
termination came  into  her  eyes.  She  dusted  more 


402  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

starch  over  the  traces  of  her  tears,  poured  half  a 
vial  of  Jockey  Club  over  the  front  of  her  dress, 
tucked  a  pale  blue  silk  handkerchief  into  her  laven- 
der belt  and  with  one  last  approving  look  at  the  re- 
flection, entered  the  sitting-room. 

If  she  had  dressed  to  impress  her  guest,  she  suc- 
ceeded. Well-bred  as  he  was,  he  winced  almost  per- 
ceptibly at  first  sight  of  her  prismatic  splendor. 
With  him,  as  has  been  said,  a  fastidious  taste,  both 
natural  and  cultivated,  all  but  supplanted  conscience. 
In  other  words,  the  aesthetic  sense  seemed  the  high- 
est within  him,  often  preventing  a  fall  where  the 
moral  sense  would  have  failed  him.  Passionate  as 
he  was,  he  could  yet  overlook  his  fiancee's  natural 
coldness  because  of  the  keen,  sensuous  pleasure  af- 
forded him  by  those  "  symphonies  of  subdued 
color,"  her  toilets. 

So,  upon  Ruth's  entrance,  it  required  his  life- 
time training  to  render  him  politely  unconscious 
of  her  astonishing  color-scheme :  and  his  mother 
watched  him,  amusement  touching  her  usually  un- 
smiling lips. 

But  some  girls  are  pretty  in  spite  of  dress.  This 
one  had  youth  and  health  and  bloom,  a  sumptuous 
figure,  a  pair  of  full  fresh  lips  and  (tonight)  an 
air  of  coquetry  very  becoming  to  her.  Lastly,  she 
was  in  love  with  him,  which  covered  a  multitude  of 
faults.  There  was  a  marked  change  in  her.  She 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  403 

was  all  animation.  She  laughed  immoderately  and 
talked  rapidly  and,  in  spite  of  Marah's  presence, 
hovered  near  him,  showing  him  this  and  that,  com- 
ing and  going,  leaning  an  instant  against  his 
shoulder,  touching  his  hand,  his  knee,  accidentally 
of  course,  and  never  seeming  to  see  the  fire  thus 
kindled  in  the  dark  eyes  that  burned  so  intently  up- 
on her. 

And  again  Marah  observed  without  seeming  to 
see.  She  had  witnessed  these  same  wiles  practiced 
on  Paul.  At  the  recollection  of  the  look  in  his  eyes, 
her  smile  faded.  Aye,  surely,  blood  will  tell ! 

For  some  reason  the  elder  woman  did  not  for  one 
moment  leave  the  two  alone.  Richard  inwardly 
chafed ;  but  he  was  more  than  half  in  awe  of  this 
daring  little  woman  who  acknowledged  her  shame 
that  she  might  call  him  son.  It  would  never  do  to 
antagonize  her;  she  knew  too  blanked  much. 

But  when  he  was  leaving,  Ruth  being  near  the 
outer  door,  he  crossed  rapidly  to  where  Marah  stood 
and  put  his  arms  around  her,  drawing  her  toward 
him  and  smiling  down  at  her  in  the  winning  way  he 
had  with  women,  old  or  young. 

"  Good  night,  Mother,"  he  whispered,  very  softly, 
his  mouth  close  to  her  ear.  Then  he  kissed  her  and 
said  aloud,  laughingly,  "  I  can  kiss  you  before  Ruth, 
Senora,  but  how  ever  am  I  to  manage  it  with  Ruth 
before  you  ?  There !  "  kissing  her  again,  "  isn't 


404  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

that  worth  your  standing  right  here  for  three  min- 
utes while  she  tells  me  good-night  in  the  porch  ?  " 

Worth  it?  It  was  worth  Ruth's  soul!  She  lifted 
her  face  all  softened  and  transfigured,  to  her  tall 
son  for  a  third  kiss,  then  turned  her  back  and 
covered  her  eyes  like  a  child  at  hide-and-seek,  but 
called  after  him : 

"  Three  minutes — remember." 

There  was  a  breathless  moment  in  the  darkness 
of  the  porch  after  he  had  closed  the  door;  then  he 
took  the  girl  in  his  eager  arms. 

"  At  last !  "  he  whispered,  "  Now  you  are  coming 
to  me.  Your  father  and  the  black  beast  are  both 
gone,  so  is  the  governor,  and  Lilys  is  at  the  Rectory 
all  the  time  now.  Even  Helene  and  Lena  are  away. 
So  the  coast  is  clear." 

"  Please  don't,"  she  pleaded,  struggling  feebly  in 
his  embrace,  "  Tony'll  be  here  any  minute  now. 
Oh,  I'm  so  afraid.  Please  go.  Tony — 

"  Tony  be  hanged !  Come,  little  lady,  you  sent 
for  me.  What  did  you  mean?" 

"I  ...  I  wanted  to  see  you ;  that  was  all  I 
meant,  truly." 

"  Well,  that  wasn't  all-I-meant-truly,"  he  mocked, 
"  and  you  knew  it  when  you  wrote.  Didn't  I  tell 
you  our  last  talk  that  I  wouldn't  be  put  off  another 
time?  You've  nothing  to  be  'so  afraid'  about. 
We  can  go  beyond  reach,  there  being  no  blessed  ties 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  405 

that  bind  either  of  us  here.  But  that's  for  you  to 
say.  Come  to  the  House,  the  side  entrance  next 
the  bow  window  and  trust  the  rest  to  me.  When 
can  you  come  ?  " 

There  was  no  reply.  He  was  holding  her  fast. 
He  could  not  see,  but  he  felt  instinctively  that  she 
was  hesitating — at  last! 

"When?"  he  repeated,  "I'll  get  this  infernal 
mess  straightened  in  a  day  or  two;  if  not  we'll 
shake  the  whole  business  anyhow  and  go — to  Cousin 
Maude's — say,  Sunday  just  after  dark.  You  will 
come?  " 

Still  no  reply.  She  was  shaking  in  his  grasp  as 
from  ague. 

"  It  is  '  Yes '  or  '  No '  this  time,  Ruth;  I  am  in 
earnest." 

Another  long  silence. 

"  I  reckon  it  is  '  No,'  "  he  said,  suddenly  releasing 
her,  "  Good  night,  mavourneen — and  good  bye. 
I  wish  you  joy  with  your — quarryman." 

"  Won't  ....  won't  I  see  you  any  more  ?  "  she 
gasped,  catching  at  his  arm. 

"  Not  till  you've  learned  to  say  '  Yes'." 

He  descended  the  steps  to  the  path,  the  path  to 
the  gate.  Then  his  quick  ear  caught  her  slight 
movement,  and  her  slighter  whisper: 

"Mr.  Richard!" 

He  stood  still,  but  he  did  not  answer. 


4o6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"Richard!" 

He  met  her  not  quite  half  way.  The  woman's 
"  half  "  of  such  a  journey  is  always  the  greater. 

"Is  it  'Yes'?" 

She  covered  her  face  with  both  hands.  "  Don't 
go." 

He  took  her  hands  from  her  face.  "  Is it 

'  Yes  '  ?  " 

"  I  love  you,"  she  stammered. 

He  drew  her  against  him  in  silent  exultation. 
"Of  course  it  is  'Yes/  you  trifler,  you  gypsy!" 
He  was  groping  for  her  lips  in  the  darkness.  "  And 
of  course  you  love  me,  and  so  you  will  come  to  me 
of  your  own  will.  For  you  know  how  long  I  have 
followed  you  and  dreamed  of  you  and  wanted  you." 
Their  lips  met  and  clung.  "  I'll  watch  for  you  day 
and  night.  Don't  keep  me  waiting." 

"  Time's  up,"  cried  Marah's  voice  from  the  open 
door. 

He  drew  the  girl  from  the  path  of  the  lamp-light 
and  spoke  rapidly  in  her  ear :  "  Listen,  and  don't 
forget  a  word  I  say.  If  you  can  get  away  for  so 
much  as  an  hour,  hold  a  candle  to  your  window, 
then  draw  the  blind,  then  the  candle  a  second  time; 
and  come  to  the  side  entrance  of  the  House.  The 
evening  you  are  sure  you  can  get  away  for  good, 
hold  the  candle  to  your  window  three  times,  and 
repeat  your  signal.  If  I  see  it  and  it's  O.  K.,  I  will 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  407 

set  a  lamp  in  the  middle  office  window  north. 
Don't  bring  a  thing,  else  they'll  suspect.  I'll  get 
you  anything  you  want  afterward.  We  can  go 
across  country  to  Longmont  for  the  train  down, 
and  there  are  plenty  of  places  on  the  map  and  off 
it  too." 

"But Miss  Howard,"  faltered  Ruth. 

"Well,  what  of  her?" 

"  Every  one  thinks  you  are  going  to  marry  her." 

He  smiled  in  the  darkness  over  that  emphasis. 

"Just  as  every  one  thinks  you  are  going  to  marry 
the  black  beast.  Every  one  has  another  think  com- 
ing, hasn't  he  ?  " 

But  in  spite  of  this  assurance  that  her  triumph  and 
her  revenge  would  be  quite  complete,  she  clung 
to  him,  asking  over  and  over  the  questions  which 
helpless  women  have  asked  since  the  world  began: 
"  And  you  love  me  ?  You  will  always  be  good  to 
me?"  And  each  time  he  answered,  just  as  men 
have  ever  answered  the  questions. 

The  clatter  of  hurrying  hoofs  sounded  on  the 
mill  road  below. 

He  held  her  to  him,  in  spite  of  her  fears,  detailing 
the  candle-signals  again  with  reckless  deliberation; 
held  her  and  passionately  kissed  her  bare  throat, 
and  lastly,  leaving  the  moist  poison  of  his  mouth  on 
hers,  he  walked  slowly  away  in  the  darkness. 

Marah  held  her  lamp  above  her  head  and  peered 


408  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

out.     She  spoke  sharply :     "  Ruth,  what  makes  you 
so  long?    Is  he  there  yet ?" 

'  Yes,  yes.     He  just  come.     I'm  waiting  for  him 
to  tie  his  horse.    We'll  be  in  right  away,  Marah." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  409 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

THE   FIERCE   VEXATION   OF   COMMUNITY. 

SCHMIDT  had  warned  Richard  that  there  would 
be  trouble  if  non-union  men  went  to  work.  No 
sooner  had  Lodge  Number  Two  declared  a  sympa- 
thetic strike  than  the  lumber  camp  emptied  itself  in- 
to the  already  crowded  Quarry  Town. 

Foreman  Webb  came  down  at  once  and  sought 
an  interview  with  his  employer's  son.  The  mill  had 
shut  down  for  want  of  men;  yet  there  were  the 
Longmont  coal  pits  and  the  Little  Star  and  the 
Jolly  Jack  all  waiting  for  their  lumber,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  the  needs  of  Eldhurst  herself.  Would  the 
quarry  trouble  be  adjusted  soon,  so  that  he  and  his 
men  could  get  back  to  work,  or  would  non-union 
men  be  put  in  up  there  also,  under  a  new  foreman  ? 

His  employer's  son  informed  him  that  he  could 
go  to  regions  eternally  warm  and  the  mill  with  him. 
He  had  his  hands  full  just  now  with  the  blasted 
Swedes.  Whereupon,  Mr.  Webb  politely  tendered 
his  resignation,  to  take  effect  at  once,  and  returned 
to  his  family  preparatory  to  moving  from  the  de- 
serted camp. 


410  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Antonio  was  in  his  element.  Quarry  Town  was 
overflowing  with  idlers  and  malcontents,  fine  ma- 
terial for  his  purpose.  Yet  must  he  keep  himself 
well  in  the  background;  for  he  did  not  need  to  be 
told  that  his  arrest  just  now  would  be  a  sweet  mor- 
sel to  young  Eldreth's  soul. 

Thursday's  ridicule  of  the  awkward  work  of  the 
raw  "  Dagos  "  grew  by  Friday  into  abuse  on  the 
part  of  the  strikers  and  retaliation  on  the  part  of 
the  non-unionists.  And  when  the  stage  of  blows 
and  showers  of  stones  and  threats  of  worse  was 
reached,  the  Boss's  son,  deep  in  his  June  number  of 
the  Smart  Set  when  informed,  gave  utterance  to 
several  expressive  oaths  and  himself  went  to  the 
county-seat  to  have  a  number  of  deputies  sworn  in 
"  for  the  protection  of  life  and  property  at  Eld- 
hurst." 

He  then  complacently  returned  to  his  hammock 
and  his  Smart  Set. 

All  day  Saturday  the  Italians  worked  under  this 
protection. 

Meantime,  Lilys  had  kept  her  uncle,  who  was  still 
confined  to  his  bed,  informed  as  to  the  progressive 
steps  of  the  trouble :  Tuesday  night's  meeting  and 
its  strike-declaration,  the  idle  quarries,  the  shut- 
down mills,  the  arrival  of  the  Italian  miners,  the 
coming  to  the  village  of  the  mill-hands,  the  clash 
on  Friday  between  the  workmen  and  the  strikers 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  41 1 

and  the  summoning  of  the  deputies  Saturday  morn- 
ing. 

Again  and  again  she  had  gone  to  her  brother  and 
entreated  him  to  take  a  middle  course,  to  use  milder 
methods,  even  to  compromise  till  their  father  could 
reach  home ;  but  he  curtly  requested  her  to  give  her 
woman's  attention  to  what  concerned  women,  as- 
suring her  that  he  was  quite  capable  of  conducting 
his  own  affairs  unaided. 

The  Rector  sent  for  him  and  John  Howard 
sought  him,  but  he  as  persistently  returned  word 
that  he  was  pretty  blanked  busy.  So  Allan,  wholly 
in  ignorance  as  to  what  might  be  passing  between 
father  and  son,  or  whether  Richard  was  acting 
under  instruction  or  independently,  had  to  content 
himself  with  sending  his  brother-in-law  a  wire  at 
each  new  step  of  the  trouble.  These  telegrams, 
written  out  by  Lilys,  were  sent  to  town  by  the 
trusty  Pepito,  since  William  was  employed  as  Rich- 
ard's aide-de-camp,  and  anyhow  was  drinking  heav- 
ily. 

The  week  had  passed  with  no  response  to  their 
dispatches,  though  they  knew  the  address  was  cor- 
rect, the  Auditorium  Annex,  Chicago.  But  on  Sat- 
urday evening  Lilys  burst  into  her  Uncle's  sick- 
room, breathless  and  excited,  holding  a  yellow  paper, 
unmistakable  telegraphic. 

"  See  what   I   found  under  a  mountain  of  un- 


4i2  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

opened  mail  on  the  office  desk,  where  William's 
been  piling  everybody's  letters  all  week.  This  has 
been  opened,  too,  you  see." 

He  read  from  the  sheet  she  held  down  to  him : 

••  REV.  EDWIN  ALLEN,  ELDHURST,  BOULDER,  COLO. 

Fourth  wire  received  can't  come  for  week  or  more  send 
for  Paul  full  authority. 

ELDRETH." 

Late  as  it  was,  Lilys  herself  went  to  town  with 
Pepito  to  send  her  uncle's  telegram  to  Paul.  But 
she  received  no  response,  though  she  had  the  mes- 
sage repeated.  She  then  duplicated  the  dispatch  to 
Michael  Bradley.  After  what  seeemd  hours  to 
her,  Bradley  answered.  Paul  had  been  all  day  in 
Frances,  he  told  her,  but  must  have  gone  on  into  the 
country,  as  Bradley's  telephone  there  had  not  found 
him.  The  postmaster  had  taken  the  message,  to 
deliver  it  as  soon  as  possible.  Frances,  she  knew, 
was  without  rail  or  wire  connection  with  Ward, 
the  telephone  being  a  private  one  between  mines. 
But  with  this  she  had  to  be  satisfied.  So  she  re- 
turned to  the  Rectory,  leaving  Pepito  with  his  own 
horse  and  Bayonne  to  meet  the  Sunday  morning 
train  from  Ward. 


Sunday  morning  rose  clear  and  tranquil  over 
mountain  and  valley.  There  was  an  ominous  quiet 
over  the  little  village  of  tenement  cottages  about  the 
quarries. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  413 

Presently,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  the  Italians  filed 
from  their  crowded  quarters  and  clown  into  the 
quarries,  Schmidt  and  his  deputies  at  their  heels. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  big  ranch, 
work  was  to  be  prosecuted  on  Sunday. 

But  the  sweet-toned  church  bell  rang-  out  as  usual 
and  Edwin  Allan,  weak  and  trembling,  slowly  as- 
cended the  high  pulpit,  leaning  on  John  Howard's 
arm.  Song  service  had  been  announced,  and  the 
church  was  crowded  to  hear  Lilys  for  the  first  time 
since  her  return  from  the  East.  The  Rector  con- 
ducted the  service  in  a  faint  voice,  sitting  through- 
out the  hour.  He  took  for  his  text  "  Let  us  love  one 
another,"  and  the  good  man's  personality  and  life 
pleaded  even  more  eloquently  than  his  tongue. 

Throughout  the  anthems,  choruses  and  quartettes, 
the  entranced  listeners  could  thread  that  matchless 
leading  voice,  subdued  and  softened  though  it  was, 
like  a  strand  of  warm  glowing  rubies  among  lifeless 
pearls.  In  her  one  solo,  "  Love  Divine  All  Love  Ex- 
celling," Lilys  sang  as  they  had  never  heard  her. 
All  the  skill  with  which  her  masters  had  reenforced 
her  natural  ability  rose  unconsciously  to  her  aid,  as, 
self- forgetting,  she  leaned  over  the  gallery-rail  and 
poured  out  her  plea  for  the  divine  love  in  the  hearts 
of  men.  There  was  more  behind  the  incomparable 
voice  than  mere  trained  expression ;  there  were  ear- 
nestness, love  of  souls,  the  desire  to  uplift.  For  the 


414  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

girl  had  knelt  with  her  uncle  before  they  left  the 
Rectory,  and  now  the  hearers  felt  that  the  music  was 
prayer  no  less  than  the  invocation  itself. 

Then  too,  though  they  did  not  know  it,  she  had 
solved  to  her  own  satisfaction  some  of  the  mys- 
teries of  human  life;  and  this,  since  last  she  sang 
to  them.  She  no  longer  needed  to  go  about  asking 
"  What  is  the  sweetest  thing  in  the  world  ?  "  No 
longer  needed  to  yearn  for  that  vague  "  something  " 
which  retreated,  an  ignis  fatuus,  before  her.  She 
had  found  it  in  a  pair  of  earnest  blue  eyes,  in  the 
circle  of  a  pair  of  strong  arms,  against  an  honest 
manly  heart, — that  something  "  very  sweet  and  very 
satisfying,"  greater  than  Nature  and  more  beauti- 
ful even  than  motherhood,  the  something  in  which 
her  wakened  soul  could  rest  and  be  satisfied. 

And  in  the  human  love  she  had  approached  nearer 
the  divine,  for  the  one  interprets  the  other.  The  year 
away  had  taught  her  much  of  suffering,  which  also 
interprets  love  both  human  and  divine.  And,  just 
as  her  lover  had  spoken  a  week  ago  as  he  never 
spoke  before,  spreading  oil  on  the  turbulent  passions 
of  the  listening  men,  so  now,  actuated  by  the  same 
incentive,  stimulated  by  the  same  divine  intoxicant, 
this  woman  loving  and  beloved,  sang  hushingly, 
quietingly,  to  the  same  passions,  thanking  God  in  all 
humility  for  this  first  opportunity  to  supplement  the 
work  of  the  man  she  loved. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  415 

And  a  great  peace  fell  over  the  congregation 
which  the  low-spoken  benediction  seemed  to  shut  and 
seal  in  their  hearts. 

The  tenantry  went  quietly  home  from  the  services, 
the  effect  of  which  the  Rector  prayed  might  last 
them  at  least  throughout  the  day.  For  evening  serv- 
ices were  not  to  be  thought  of.  He  went  to  bed  at 
once  with  a  burning  fever  and  Lilys  sat  beside  him 
all  day. 

Baxter  failed  to  come  from  Boulder  for  the  after- 
noon service  at  Quarry  Town  hall,  and  only  a  hand- 
ful of  restless  children  greeted  Howard  and  his 
daughter  at  the  mission  Sunday-school  at  four.  The 
old  Chorister  could  but  notice  the  mob-like  crowds 
that  filled  the  street  as  he  returned  home,  and  he 
stopped  at  the  Rectory  to  express  grave  fears  for 
the  peaceful  termination  of  that  Sabbath  day. 

But  the  Rector  had  fallen  into  a  light  slumber 
from  which  Lilys  refused  to  waken  him.  She  sat 
beside  his  bed  in  the  gathering  twilight  and  prayed 
for  Paul  to  come.  Woman-like,  she  felt  that  once 
her  lover  were  there,  all  would  be  well.  The  morn- 
ing train  from  Ward  had  not  brought  him,  nor  had 
any  word  come.  The  only  other  train  down  from 
the  mining-camp  was  not  due  till  eight-fifteen,  even- 
ing. Pepito  was  waiting  for  it.  She  also  must 
wait. 

Her  last  appeal  to  her  brother  had  been  fruitless. 


4i6  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

He  seemed  preoccupied  and  distraught.  Either  he 
had  been  drinking  too  much  or  he  was  troubled  over 
his  recent  quarrel  with  Nina — so  near  their  wed- 
ding-date, with  the  invitations  out.  She  naturally 
felt  a  delicacy  in  asking  Nina  to  appeal  to  him  in  the 
matter  of  the  strike.  She  knew  that  in  the  quarrel 
Nina  had  been  wholly  blameless,  and  that  Nina  was 
nothing  if  not  proud.  And  Mr.  Howard's  appeals 
had  proven  as  fruitless  as  her  own. 

Darkness  came  on.  The  released  Italians  added 
their  numbers  to  the  already  thronged  little  street. 
The  crowd  before  Schmidt's  cottage  was  particularly 
dense  and  noisy;  for  in  the  basement  of  the  house 
were  confined  two  of  their  number,  arrested  for 
stone-throwing.  Two  flaming  torches  had  been 
fastened  to  the  gate-posts,  and  the  armed  deputies 
sat  in  grim  silence  along  the  front  porch. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  417 


CHAPTER   XL. 

THE  BETROTHED. 

RICHARD  lay  indolently  in  the  veranda  hammock 
within  easy  reach  of  the  bottles  and  glasses  on  a 
small  taboret.  He  was  alone,  but  for  William  who 
dozed  in  the  office.  The  great  house  was  dark  save 
for  one  dim  light  in  an  upper  back  room ;  and  silent, 
save  for  the  ticking  of  the  hall  clock  and  the  sigh  of 
the  evening  breeze  draughting  through  the  side  en- 
trance next  to  the  bow-window  where  the  door  had 
been  braced  open. 

The  mental  attitude  of  the  young  man  could  not 
be  guessed  from  his  bodily  posture.  Arguing  from 
negatives,  his  thoughts  were  not  near,  for  his  back 
was  to  the  lights  of  Quarry  Town  and  to  the  lone 
cottage  of  the  Menendez'  on  the  left  hill  opposite  and 
he  had  not  once  turned  toward  the  big  square  house 
beyond  the  Rectory,  a  certain  upper  chamber  of 
which  was  was  lighted  now  for  the  first  time  in 
seven  nights. 

He  had  been  lying  for  some  time  with  his  eyes 
half  closed,  a  half-consumed  cigarette  between  his 
lips,  an  uncut  Town  Topics  in  his  hand.  Now  he 


418  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

swung1  to  a  sitting  position,  poured  a  glass  of  wine, 
drank  it,  poured  another  and  drank  it,  but  the  third 
glass  he  held  half  drained,  and  with  elbows  on  knees 
and  head  in  one  palm,  sat  motionless. 

He  did  not  stir  even  when  he  heard  the  light  as- 
cending tread,  did  not  lift  his  eyes  even  when  she 
came  up  the  steps  and  walked  the  veranda's  length, 
and  he  did  not  speak  until  she  paused  beside  him. 

"  I  knew  you  would  come,"  and  there  was  little 
of  welcome  in  his  weary  voice,  "  but  the  Lord  only 
knows  why  you  women  can't  make  up  your  minds 
till  the  eleventh  hour." 

He  was  still  studying  the  tips  of  his  canvas  shoes 
when  the  wind  fluttered  a  soft  fabric  against  his 
knees — white  silk  mull — and  bore  to  his  nostrils  a 
faint  perfume — white  lilacs. 

The  glass  shivered  at  his  feet,  staining  his  white 
shoes  with  its  blood-red. 

"Nina!" 

"  Yes,  Richard ;  and  I  deserve  your  rebuke.  I 
am  late  for  a  mission  so  important.  Yet  you  knew 
I  would  come,  even  though  when  I  went  away  there 
was  a  difference  between  us." 

She  sat  down  on  the  settee  and  began  pulling  nerv- 
ously at  her  gloves,  continuing  rapidly: 

"  I  am  here  to  say  two  things :  one  is  *  Forgive 
me ' ;  the  other  is  '  Let  me  help  you.'  I  was  the 
more  to  blame  in  our  unbecoming  disagreement — " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  419 

"  You  say  that?  " 

"  Yes,  dear.  Our  difference  seems  trivial,  indeed, 
in  the  light  of  this  week's  troubles,  all  the  difficulties 
against  which  you  are  contending." 

She  waited,  and  as  he  made  no  reply,  she  re- 
minded him  gently,  "  I  am  asking  your  forgiveness, 
Richard." 

He  had  remained  standing.  Now  he  sat  down 
upon  the  other  end  of  the  settee,  saying  brusquely : 

"  Don't  do  it.  It  is  not  becoming  to  your  severe 
classic  style.  Of  course  I  agree  with  you.  The 
woman  is  always  to  blame,  especially  when  the 
man's  crime  is  jealousy,  with  an  uncontrollable  de- 
sire for  more  kisses  than  the  regulation  one.  I 
don't  know  how  to  give  absolution.  I'm  so  seldom 
called  upon.  Does  the  priest  salute  the  fair  peni- 
tent? No?  Well,  I'll  not  be  severe  in  the  matter 
of  penance  if  the  offense  be  not  repeated." 

With  a  frank  smile  she  gave  him  one  hand,  still 
gloved,  and  he  bore  it  to  his  lips. 

"  I  wonder,"  he  mused,  "  to  what  extent  you 
would  forgive  me." 

" '  Unto  seventy  times  seven,' '  she  quoted, 
smoothing  out  her  long  glove  on  the  seat  between 
them. 

"  I'm  afraid  you've  passed  those  figure  '  now  al- 
retty,'  as  the  Swedes  say,  and  that  you'll  have  to 
do  some  more  multiplying." 


420  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Now  my  other  purpose,"  she  said  gravely, 
"  Father  and  I  are  just  from  the  village  and  you 
have  no  idea  what  a  spirit  prevails  up  there.  The 
streets  are  thronged,  and  they  are  not  all  our  own 
people.  Two  arrests  have  been  made,  and  there  are 
unrest  and  turbulence  and  open  threats.  Couldn't 
you,  couldn't  we 

"  No  use  talking  about  it,  Nina.  I  know  what  I 
am  doing;  exactly  what  the  governor  would  do  if 
he  were  here."  And  Richard  arose  with  as  much 
impatience  as  he  ever  exhibited  in  the  presence  of 
his  betrothed. 

"  If  only  you  would  go  down  and  consult  with 
Mr.  Allan  or  let  father  come  up  and  advise  with 
you." 

''  You  certainly  have  a  flattering  opinion  of  my 
executive  abilities.  How  is  it  you  are  willing  so 
soon  to  trust  me  with  yourself  and  your  affairs  ?  Or 
will  you  want  an  advisory  board  of  uncles  and 
fathers  then,  I  wonder."  And  he  smlied  carelessly 
down  into  the  earnest  face  with  its  big  serious  eyes, 
eyes  warm  with  the  confidence  he  questioned. 

"  My  confidence  in  you  is  not,  cannot  be,  under 
discussion.  But  up  there,"  with  a  gesture  toward 
Quarry  Town,  "  you  are  meeting  force  with 
force " 

"  What  else  is  there  to  do,  in  heaven's  name?  I 
suppose  you'd  have  me  turn  the  other  cheek.  That's 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  421 

all  a  woman  knows  about  handling  those  brutes. 
Didn't  the  governor  meet  a  representative  from 
their  unions  before  he  went  away  and  all  to  no 
purpose?  Didn't  he  plan  with  me  the  day  he  left? 
His  back  was  scarcely  turned  before  the  strike  was 
on.  If  they  are  testing  my  metal,  they  will  find  it  is 
composed  chiefly  of  lead,  molded  lead.  I  have 
turned  those  deputies  over  to  Schmidt  and  they  are 
there  for  business." 

"  But  do  you  not  think  you  or  some  of  us  should 
be  up  there? 

"  Not  when  I  can  talk  to  a  pretty  woman.  Don't 
worry.  Schmidt  can  keep  down  the  outfit.  I  sent 
him  some  courage  a  while  ago  by  Sam — the  Wilson 
brand,  bottled  at  the  distillery,  so  he'll  hold  the 
fort  till  morning.  Now  I'd  rather  not  discuss  the 
matter  further,  if  it's  just  the  same  to  you.  It's  bad 
enough  for  a  man  to  have  to  think  about  it." 

The  girl  arose  and  began  drawing  on  her  gloves 
again.  He  reached  for  his  cap  on  the  back  of  the 
settee. 

"  You  need  not  go  with  me,  thank  you.  I  came 
alone  and  am  not  afraid.  You  must  have  a  great 
deal  to  do.  Or  I  can  stay  and  help  you  if  I  may. 
There  are  no  services  this  evening." 

"  I  prefer  to  go  with  you.  Those  Dagos  are  a 
low  drunken  set;  no  telling  where  they  may  be 
prowling." 


422  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  It  is  very  thoughtful  of  you,  dear."  She  meant 
it  in  the  double  sense.  He  was  thoughtful  in  that 
he  ignored  her  suggestion  to  remain  there  any  later 
alone  with  him.  She  came  and  stood  beside  him  on 
the  first  step,  giving  him  her  hand  with  its  unbut- 
toned glove,  palm  up. 

"  I  am  surprised  at  you,  anyway,  Miss  How- 
ard," he  said  with  mock  severity,  as  he  began  fasten- 
ing the  tiny  clasps  of  the  glove,  "  that  you  should 
venture  to  come  to  the  House  when  you  know  Lilys 
is  at  the  Rectory,  and  the  governor  gone  and  even 
Helene  is  not  here  to  chaperone  you.  You  are  get- 
ting reckless.  What  of  your  good  name  ?  " 

She  laughed  a  pleasant  laugh.  "  I  fancy  my  name 
is  '  good  '  enough  hereabout  to  stand  against  one 
such  indiscretion,  and  your  reputation " 

"  Go  on.    What  of  my  reputation  ?  " 

"  Is  such  that  a  lady  may  spend  an  hour  with  you, 
unattended,  and  still  retain  her  good  name." 

"  Thanks.  Still  I'm  something  of  a  sinner.  I 
shouldn't  wonder  you've  heard  things." 

"  Do  you  mean  things  against  you  ?  Where  ? 
From  whom,  pray?" 

He  gave  her  a  swift,  keen  glance. 

"  Oh,  here  at  Eldhurst.  You  teach  over  there," 
nodding  toward  the  Swedish  village. 

;<  You  cannot  be  in  earnest.  You  cannot  imagine 
any  one,  my  father  even,  coming  to  me,  to  me,  with 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  423 

the  faintest  ill  report  of  you.  I  instruct  in  the  vil- 
lage ;  I  do  not  gossip.  All  I  have  ever  heard  against 
you,  you,  yourself,  have  told  me." 

"  And  I  have  '  unpacked  my  heart,'  to  you,  haven't 
I?  You  know  that  I  am  addicted  to  muscatel  and 
Egyptians;  that  I  kiss  every  pretty  girl  who's  will- 
ing; that  I  bet  a  little,  and  spend  more  and  waste 
most.  But  you'll  correct  all  these  little  eccentricities 
after — I  beg  pardon,  but  what  date  was  it  you 
named  ?  And,  ahem  !  after  that  date,  you  won't  re- 
mind me  that  it's  ten,  will  you?  and  you'll  let  me 
kiss  you  more  than  the  regulation  once,  won't  you  ?  " 

The  girl  flushed  warmly  under  his  bold  laughing 
eyes,  and  he  gave  the  gloved  hand  a  squeeze  before 
she  confusedly  withdrew  it. 

"  Sit  down  here  a  minute,"  he  commanded,  recov- 
ering the  hand  and  drawing  her  down  to  the  first 
step  beside  him. 

She  glanced  uneasily  toward  the  north  hills  and 
shook  a  grave  head. 

"  Oh,  confound  the  Swedes!  "  he  cried  petulantly. 
!<  They  won't  turn  the  world  over.  Think  of  me  for 
thirty  minutes.  I've  had  no  one  to  love,  none  to 
caress  for  a  whole  strenuous  week.  You  might  be 
nice  to  a  fellow  once  in  a  while,  by  way  of  practice, 
you  know.  So,"  and  he  began  pulling  off  the  gloves 
he  had  fastened,  retaining  a  bare  hand.  "  Now 
tell  me  all  about  this  precious  date  of  ours.  It's 


424  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

to  be  a  quiet  affair,  I  believe  you  said;  no  flourish 
of  trumpets,  beating  of  tom-toms,  nor  other  evi- 
dences of  bad  taste.  I'm  a  bashful  boy  with  no 
mamma,  you  know.  Whom  have  you  asked  to  the 
obsequies?  " 

"  Only  Fred  and  Nellie  Nolan " 

"  All  right." 

"And  Harry  Wentworth— 

"  The  yellow  journal,"  he  groaned,  "  full  ac- 
count ;  harrowing  details.  Who  else  ?  " 

"  No  one  except  father,  and  Lilys  and  Paul,  of 
course." 

"  Paul.  Humph !  But  I  reckon  one  can't  object 
to  one's  brother,  to  be.  Just  isn't  Babe  a  fool  to 
turn  down  Bert  and  Harry  and  her  rich  foreigner  all 
for  that  half-breed  ?  " 

"  I  think  you  know  I  am  very  fond  of  Paul.  He 
has  been  a  brother  to  me." 

"  So  he  is  to  most  girls,  even  to  her.  That's  his 
long  suit.  He  nearly  broke  my  fool  head  once  last 
summer  for  hinting  that  he  was  something  more  to 
her,"  and  Richard  rubbed  his  head  with  reminis- 
cent tenderness. 

"  For  a  long  time  I  had  known  that  he  fairly 
worshiped  her,  but  I  did  not  dream  he  would  ever 
betray  himself.  I  do  not  at  all  understand  it,  for 
he  has  uncommon  self-control." 

Her  companion  laughed.     "  Well,  7  understand 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  425 

it.  What  has  control  to  do  with  it  if  you're  in  love 
and  the  girl  is  pretty  and  the  lights  are  low?  Be- 
sides, you  don't  know  Babe  and  the  sort  of  woman 
she  stands  for,  the  woman  to  whom  love  is  the  Ten 
Commandments  and  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  and 
then  some.  Her  heart  is  the  charged  mine;  her  lips 
the  fuse.  Do  but  kiss  her  and — something  happens, 
something  that  maybe  the  fellow  wasn't  looking  for. 
If  he  wasn't,  worse  luck,  for  she'd  carry  Saint  An- 
thony off  his  feet.  No,  you  don't  understand ;  never 
will  understand  the  passion  behind  a  resolution  such 
as  hers.  She  too  knew  of  his  '  love  unspoken  '  long 
before  that  '  uncommon  self-control '  was  shattered. 
Also  she  was  wise  upon  methods  of  shattering.  If 
any  scruples  whatsoever  had  risen  in  his  mind 
against  marrying  her,  do  you  know  what  she  would 
have  done?  She  would  have  turned  her  back  for- 
ever upon  Eldhurst  and  all  it  meant  to  her,  would 
have  followed  to  Ward,  to  the  mine  itself,  and 
would  there  have  deliberately  compromised  herself 
before  he  could  prevent.  Oh,  she's  the  sister  of  her 
brother,  all  right;  has  good  red  blood  in  her  veins." 

Miss  Howard  looked  her  incredulity. 

"  Yes,  she  would  have  done  just  that,"  he  af- 
firmed, "  for  when  I  accused  her  of  formulating  the 
plan,  she  laughed  and  asked  was  I  a  mind-reader." 

"  After  all,  her  plan  was  an  altogether  safe  one. 
for  had  she  carried  it  out,  he  would  have  made  her 


426  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

his  wife  before  they  were  an  hour  older,  as  she 
very  well  knew.  But  I  cannot  imagine  Paul  Men- 
endez  confessing  his  love  and  not  offering  marriage 
in  the  same  breath.  With  such  as  he,  the  one  im- 
plies the  other." 

"  It  did  in  this  case,  and  why  shouldn't  it?  He 
has  everything  to  gain  by  such  a  union.  But  he  has 
my  sympathy,  poor  beggar !  She'll  even  up  all  my 
old  scores  against  him." 

"  They  are  very  happy ;  it  is  a  delight  to  hear 
her.  And  he  is  far  from  being  a  beggar.  Mr. 
Bradley  told  father  that  his  silent  partner  in  the 
Hopeful  all  this  time  has  been  none  other  than  Paul, 
and  that  he,  Paul,  is  to  become  sole  owner  within  a 
few  days.  That's  why  he  isn't  down  here  with 
Lilys  this  week.  They  are  making  the  transfer  and 
are  also  putting  in  some  new  machinery.  Bradley 
is  to  be  his  manager.  All  this  in  confidence,  for  he 
does  not  wish  his  ownership  known.  He  has  not 
told  Lilys.  She  thinks  he  has  nothing  but  his  salary 
as  manager." 

Richard  whistled  softly.  "  The  Hopeful !  Well, 
he'll  need  it.  For  Babe's  something  of  a  spender 
herself,  and  she's  bound  to  be  disinherited  if  she  per- 
sists in  this  latest  whim.  In  which  case,  incidentally. 
Miss  Howard's  husband  becomes  sole  heir.  See?" 

Nina  sighed.  "  I  don't  like  to  think  of  dear  Lilys 
living  way  up  at  Ward,  while  I  am  mistress  of  her 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  427 

old  home.  But  she  would  go  to  far  Mindanao  if  he 
said  so ;  and  you  know  your  father  insists  upon  our 
living  here.  I  had  such  a  nice  letter  from  him  as 
he  was  leaving  Denver.  He  regrets  that  he  can  not 
be  with  us  on  Friday  next ;  I  am  to  have  my  choice 
of  the  Huntington-Eldreth  jewels,  after  Lilys,  and 
he  said  other  nice  things." 

"  And  now  you  will  have  all  the  jewels,  for  none 
of  us  will  dare  recognize  her,  except,  I  suppose, 
Allan.  Did  you  write  the  governor  about  Babe  and 
her  new  .  .  .  brother  ?  " 

"  Indeed  no.  Paul  insists,  and  rightly,  that  that 
is  his  prerogative.  But  he  will  wait  your  father's  re- 
turn and  tell  him  in  person.  Isn't  that  just  like 
Paul?" 

"  Sure.  Fools  have  a  penchant  for  rushing  in 
where  angels  would  at  least  send  up  their  cards. 
Well,  he  has  my  best  wishes.  I  don't  covet  his  job. 
And  you  may  as  well  begin  masses  for  his  soul,  for 
there's  every  promise  of  a  funeral  instead  of  a  wed- 
ding. But  you  did  not  finish  your  list  of  our 
guests." 

"  If  we  ask  Paul,  there  is  his  mother." 

"  Of  course;  the  inch  always  has  its  ell." 

"  And  if  you  don't  mind,"  timidly,  "  Ruth  Brad- 
ley." 

Her  companion  sent  her  another  searching  glance, 
which  she  misinterpreted. 


428  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  I  know  she  is  not  one  of  us,  but  she  is  a  good 
girl  and  loves  me  devotedly  and  we  have  taught  to- 
gether so  long,  you  know.  But  I  have  not  asked  her 
yet,  so  if  you " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mind ;  that's  your  affair.  And  where 
are  we  to  spend  our  honeymoon  ?  " 

"  Here,  I  supposed." 

"  Not  on  your  life.  Consider  my  youth,  my  ex- 
treme modesty,  and  name  some  sequestered  spot  far 
from  the  maddening  crowds  of  Manitou  and  its  like. 
Babe  has  named  the  hunting  lodge — the  very  place 
"  He "  wanted,  (because  of  pleasant  memories 
doubtless.)  But  there  are  other  retreats  in  the  wilds 
wrhere  I  may  have  you  alone  for  one  divine,  foolish 
fortnight,  to  teach  you  to  love,  honor  and  obey." 

"  I've  learned  all  that,"  sadly. 

"  But  some  women  need  a  post-graduate  course." 

He  had  slipped  down  a  step  or  two  and  now  with 
a  sudden  boyish  movement  he  leaned,  resting  his 
dark  head  in  her  lap,  his  half-closed  eyes  upon  the 
two  gate-torches  of  the  Schmidt  cottage,  that  men- 
aced demon-like  through  the  deepening  gloom. 

The  girl  ventured  a  hand  upon  the  head  in  her 
lap,  an  act  so  unusual  that  her  heart  quickened  pain- 
fully. Hers  was  a  deep,  undemonstrative  nature, 
habitually  reserved  and  self-contained.  She  was 
sadly  conscious  that  her  love  and  loyalty  far  ex- 
ceeded those  of  her  handsome,  heedless  lover,  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  429 

throughout  their  engagement  she  had  striven  with 
all  a  proud  woman's  strength  to  conceal  the  sorry 
truth  from  those  about  her,  most  of  all  from  him. 
She  must.  He  was  so  hot-blooded,  so  vehement,  so 
immoderate. 

As  for  him,  he  had  always  taken  her  coldness  for 
granted,  her  passionless  manner  as  a  matter  of 
course.  He  called  dutifully  once  a  week,  leaving 
at  ten  and  taking  his  one  good-night  kiss  with  be- 
fitting gratitude.  What  difference  did  it  make? 
She  was  well-born,  royal-mannered,  would  grace 
Eldhurst,  and  her  children  would  becomingly  per- 
petuate the  old  name.  The  woman  one  marries  is 
never  quite  like  one's  sweethearts.  "  Love  me  little, 
love  me  long  "  must  have  originated  with  the  same 
idiot  who  invented  monogamous  marriage. 

His  meditations  were  interrupted  by  the  hand  on 
his  hair  and — what!  Never  before  had  he  known 
her  to  shed  a  tear,  at  least  for  him.  He  sat  up,  peer- 
ing into  her  face.  It  wore  an  expression  wholly  new 
to  him.  Over  the  high-bred  features,  usually  so 
serene,  a  faint  pink  was  suffused  that  softened  and 
warmed  them  from  within,  like  a  lighted  transpar- 
ency. Little  ringlets  of  the  soft  red-brown  hair 
had  escaped  the  severe  braid,  and  lay  like  tendrils 
against  her  neck.  The  strong  lips,  the  lowered  eye- 
lids were  twitching. 

He  drew  one  sharp  breath,  caught  both  her  hands 
and  crushed  them  against  his  heart,  his  cheeks,  his 


430  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mouth.  She  drew  back,  but  a  richer  color  responded 
to  his  caresses.  He  pulled  himself  up  to  the  step  be- 
side her  and  thrust  his  face  close  to  hers. 

"  By  God,  you  do  love  me !  " 

Her  face  congealed  instantly,  but  there  was  evi- 
dent effort  in  her  controlled  voice : 

"  Have  you  ever  doubted  it  ?  " 

"  But  love,  love  I  mean,  like  a  woman,  not  a 
statue.  And  you  could,  you  could  do  it,  once  you 
let  yourself  go.  You're  not  wholly  of  marble,  my 
Galatea,"  with  his  boy's  laugh,  "  You're  part  human 
already.  Let  us  see  if  you  are  not." 

He  brought  her  to  her  feet  beside  him,  but  she 
held  him  away,  her  hands  against  his  breast. 

"  Don't,  Richard.     Wait.     Listen  to  me." 

He  dropped  his  arms  at  that,  and  stood  scowling 
at  her  rigid,  forbidding  form. 

"  '  Wait '  ?  I've  done  nothing  else.  '  Listen  '  ?  I 
know  it  by  heart.  Every  since  our  betrothal  it's 
been  '  Don't,  Richard.'  '  You  shouldn't  say  this,' 
'  You  shouldn't  do  that,'  *  Desire  is  unholy ;  we 
should  live  white  lives.'  If  our  engagement  hasn't 
been  dead-level  white,  whose  has?  During  the  en- 
tire two  years  I've  never  known  you  to  do  one 
womanly  thing,  to  follow  one  live  human  impulse, 
to  obey  your  heart — if  you  have  one.  And  what 
have  you  ever  given  me  worth  the  taking?  A  man 
may  burn,  starve,  gnaw  his  heart  out,  while 
you— —  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  431 

He  flung  away  and  began  walking  the  veranda, 
his  hands  plunged  deep  in  his  pockets. 

"  And  then  you  and  your  kind  wonder  in  your 

frigid  souls  why  we  men He  broke  off  again. 

then  cried  out,  "  Upon  my  word,  I'm  beastly  sick 
of  the  whole  game.  Am  I  a  schoolboy  to  be  cor- 
rected and  denied  and  straight-jacketed  ?  And  after 
Friday,  what  ?  Oh,  you'll  find  who's  master.  You'll 
pay  the  score — in  full." 

She  was  standing  statue-like  where  he  had  left 
her,  looking  with  strained  eyes  away  to  the  south 
over  the  drifts  of  the  young  orchard.  He  at  the  far 
end  of  the  veranda  stared  north  at  the  dull  lights  of 
Quarry  Town  and  at  the  lone  cottage  on  the  left  hill 
opposite. 

And  why,  at  such  a  moment,  should  a  certain 
window  of  that  lone  cottage  suddenly  spring  to 
light?  And  why  did  the  light  vanish,  then  appear 

....  and  vanish and  appear 

AGAIN  ? 


432  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

"  UNTO    SEVENTY    TIMES   SEVEN." 

THE  man  stared  stupidly  at  the  now  darkened 
window,  and  for  the  moment  the  moon-touched  hill- 
sides blurred.  Then — all  the  blood  within  him 
leaped  and  clamored. 

He  started  forward,  but  stopped,  turned  and 
looked  at  the  figure  at  the  end  of  the  veranda. 

All  unconscious  of  this  by-play  in  their  hurrying 
tragedy,  she  was  leaning  against  the  lattice,  and  the 
faint  moon  etherealized  the  refined  face,  the  repose- 
ful figure,  the  quiet  elegance  of  attire,  the  unstudied 
grace  of  attitude.  He  turned  sharply  from  her, 
steeling  himself;  but  between  him  and  the  silhouette 
of  the  solitary  cottage  there  appeared  that  other 
tawdry-clad  figure,  with  its  coarse  flesh,  its  pert 
Irish  face.  And  his  strong  aesthetic  sense  rose  in 
revolt  against  the  clamorous  blood;  the  good  angel 
of  Taste  wrestled  with  Desire. 

Again  that  signal  window  flamed  and  faded, — 
once,  twice,  thrice!  But  in  a  wave  of  uncontrollable 
repulsion,  he  turned  his  back  upon  it. 

"  Nina !  "    The  tone  was  tremulous  with  appeal. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  433 

She  came  to  meet  him,  both  answering  hands  out- 
reached.  He  clung  to  them  as  a  sinking  man  to  a 
spar. 

His  eyes  questioned  her. 

"  '  Unto  seventy  times  seven,'  "  she  whispered. 

"  And  you  love  me?  " 

Again  her  eyes  met  his  with  the  faithfulness  of  a 
dog's.  "  I  would  die  for  you." 

'  Yes,  I  know,  but  as  a  woman, — soon  to  be  all 
mine?  " 

"  So  much  that  it  hurts  me ;  it  has  seemed  I  must 
tell  you  or — die." 

In  her  earnestness,  she  clasped  his  shoulders  and 
lifted  the  delicate  beauty  of  her  face  close  to  his. 
It  was  too  much  for  the  clamorous  blood,  too  much 
for  half-formed  resolution,  too  much  even  for  the 
steady  respect  he  had  always  held  for  this  one  wo- 
man. For  Taste  joined  forces  with  Desire,  the 
aesthetic  with  the  sensuous;  the  best  within  him 
swung  about  and  re-enforced  the  worst.  With  the 
exultant  cry  of  the  brute  at  sight  of  its  rightful  mate, 
he  seized  and  crushed  her  to  him,  kissing  her  with 
savage  passion. 

"  Prove  it !     Prove  it !  "  he  panted. 

"  What — why,  what  can  you  mean  ?  "  She  was 
straining  from  his  grasp  and  gazing  at  him  with 
fearsome  questioning. 

With  his  burning  face  pressed  to  hers,  he  stam- 


434  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mered :  "  Stay  here — with  me — now  .... 
and — "  He  ended  in  a  thick,  half-articulate 
whisper. 

She  recoiled  in  horror,  as  from  pestilence  itself. 

"  You  are  mad.  You  do  not  know  what  you  are 
saying." 

"  Yes,  I  do.  Yes,  I  do.  It's  you  who  don't  know 
what  I'm  asking,  all  I  am  asking.  It  means — every- 
thing to  us  both.  I  can't  go  up  to  you.  Haven't  you 
known  that  all  this  time?  Come  down  to  me,  sweet- 
heart, for  my  sake;  for  your  own  sake.  It  will  be 
counted  to  you  for  righteousness.  This  once,  if 
you  love  me,  stay  with  me.  Put  your  arms  around 
me,  give  me  your  lips,  your  whole  love.  I'm  not 
mad;  I'm  not  even  drunk.  And  I  swear  to  you,  I'll 
never  drink  again,  never  look  at  another  woman,  so 
help  me  God !  Come." 

"  Now  God  help  me,"  she  moaned,  striving  to 
hide  her  shamed  face,  "And  this — from  you!" 

"  Who  but  me  ?  "  he  whispered  thickly,  trying 
to  uncover  her  face. 

But  she  broke  from  him  and  imperiously  motioned 
him  back.  As  she  turned  toward  the  steps,  he  fell  on 
his  knees  before  her,  clasping  her  waist. 

"  Don't  go,  Nina,  don't  leave  me — the  most  God- 
forsaken, most  devil-tempted  of  men ;  not  now,  not 
till  morning — then  it  will  be  all  right.  You  will 
regret — As  you  love  me,  Nina — 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  435 

She  stooped  and  half  lifted  him,  then  met  the 
dangerous  pleading  of  his  eyes  with  pure  rebuking 
gaze. 

"  I  do  love  you.  God  knows  I  would  give  my 
body  to  be  burned  for  you.  But  my  soul — Richard, 
Richard,  it  is  not  mine  to  give.  It  is  His,  blood- 
bought." 

He  stood  a  moment,  dumb  with  baffled  desire, 
vainly  seeking  for  one  weak  point  in  her  defense. 

"Then  .  .  .  you  .  .  .  will  ...  not  ..  stay?" 

"  God  helping  me,  NO.  Think  of  your  own 
soul " 

The  man  broke  into  loud  laughing. 

"  Yes,  yes,  my  soul,  my  precious  soul.  Who'll 
buy?  It's  for  sale  tonight,  cheap.  One  little  sin, 
one  little  white  sin,  would  redeem  it,  but  she  doesn't 
think  it  worth  the  price,  the  woman  who  loves  me. 
Loves!  Bah,  the  barefooted  Mexican  girl  of  the 
Lower  Ranch  could  teach  her;  the  chorus  girl,  the 
girl  of  River  Front  Slums — all  could  tell  her 
that  to  love  is  to  give.  But  I  should  have  known: 
head  against  heart;  prude  against  woman;  petty 
scruples  against  human  nature.  Madame  Grundy, 
the  conventions,  the  proprieties — world  without  end. 
Ha,  ha ! " 

He  bent  over  the  shrinking  woman  and  dealt  his 
parting  taunt. 

"  And  so  I  would  be  drawing  too  heavily  upon 


436  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

the  future;  anticipating  the  priest's  mummery  by 
six  whole  days.  Six  orthodox  days.  Why,  God 
save  us,  woman,  that  was  time  enough  to  make 
heaven  and  earth.  And  it's  time  enough  to  find 
hell." 

He  went  rapidly  from  her  and  flung  open  the  of- 
fice door.  She  heard  the  quick  rasp  of  a  match,  saw 
a  lamp  flicker  to  life.  Then  he  sent  the  middle  north 
window-shade  whirring  toward  the  ceiling  and  set 
the  lamp  on  the  sill. 

William,  the  coachman,  was  snoring  drunkenly 
on  the  floor.  His  master  kicked  him  vigorously. 

"  Get  up,  you  damned  log.  The  closed  carriage — 
now." 

The  man  staggered  up  grunting,  and  limped 
away. 

The  master  would  have  passed  out  and  on  up  the 
stairs,  but  the  woman  placed  herself  before  him. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Richard  Eldreth?  " 

"To  the  devil!" 

She  caught  his  arm  with  both  her  strong  white 
hands. 

"  No!  "  It  was  half  command,  half  plea.  "  Come 
with  me,  dearest,  come  home  with  me." 

"  And  stay  till  ten,  and  be  shut  out  with  one 
chaste  kiss !  Never  again.  There  are  women  not  so 
chary  with  their  gifts.  Either  you  stay — on  my 
terms — or  I  go.  It  is  not  too  late.  Which  is  it?  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  437 

And  his  hot  hand  closed  over  her  fingers,  his  breath 
burned  her  cheek. 

"  It  is — neither,"  she  answered  firmly,  lifting  an 
unflinching  gaze,  "  If  you  have  no  thought  for  me 
in  this, — of  my  name,  the  woman's  purity  I  dreamed 
alas !  that  you  gloried  in ;  if  you  are  reckless  of  your 
immortal  soul  and  its  doom,  think  then,  I  beg  you, 
of  your  best  mortal  treasures — of  your  name,  your 
honor,  of  the  high  hopes  centred  in  you.  Think  of 
that  old  name  borne  by  stainless  knights  and  irre- 
proachable nobles — hereditary  gentlemen.  Would 
you  drag  its  high  splendors  in  the  mire?  Think  of 
the  honor  of  your  house,  untarnished  through  all 
the  centuries  behind  you.  Would  you  make  it  a 
mockery  and  a  by-word?  And  for  what?  The 
brief,  ignoble  pleasure  of  an  hour!  Oh  shame!  an 
Eldreth,  the  last  of  the  Eldreths,  false,  coward- 
false  to  his  deserted  self!  " 

His  relaxed  hands  fell  from  hers;  his  chin  sank 
to  his  chest.  But  with  firm  fingers  gripping  his  arm, 
she  continued  her  torrent  of  convicting  words : 

"  What  reasoning  is  this  ?  You  would  have  me 
commit  sin  to  prevent  sin !  You  are  beside  yourself. 
You  have  dared  to  speak  words  to  me  tonight  which 
I  never  dreamed  of  hearing  from  any  man,  much 
less  from  him  pledged  to  honor  and  protect.  Rich- 
ard drunk,  mad  (what  you  will)  with  power  to  hu- 
miliate and  degrade,  must  be  vindicated  by  Richard 


438  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

sober.  He  must  redeem  himself — and  he  will.  You 
and  I,  with  father  and  Lilys  and  Mr.  Allan,  if  he  be 
able,  must  go  at  once  to  yonder  village  and  do  our 
utmost  to  quiet  and  disperse  that  mob,  else  God  will 
surely  visit  His  wrath  upon  us  for  wilful  negligence. 
What  right  have  we  to  idle  here,  what  right  to  one 
another,  with  that  menace  of  evil  settling  over  us? 
How  dare  you  think  of  leaving  at  such  a  time,  with 
helpless  women  and  children,  your  sister,  your 
promised  wife, — all  of  us  looking  to  you  for  very 
safety?  I  am  not  asking  what  nor  who  calls  you, 
but  only:  Is  it,  can  it  be,  a  duty  more  imperative 
than  that  which  binds  you  here?  O  Richard,  I 
would  give  my  peace  of  mind,  my  life,  to  save  you 
from  sin.  But  you  are  not  going  to  sin.  I  will  not 
believe  you  against  yourself.  You  are  coming  with 
me.  You  have  not  loved  me.  There  is  another  wo- 
man. At  last,  I  am  convinced,  and  you  shall  be  re- 
leased. But  now  there  is  but  one  thing — your 
duty." 

And  all  the  while  she  is  leading  him,  willing  or 
unwilling,  down  the  steps  and  across  the  yard  to- 
ward the  north.  Out  near  the  summerhouse,  they 
meet  the  closed  carriage. 

"  William,"  she  says  in  tones  of  quiet  command, 
"  you  are  to  put  away  the  horses.  They  will  not  be 
needed  tonight." 

The  carriage  turns  about.     The  man  at  her  side 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  439 

lifts  his  hand,  but  it  is  arrested  in  mid-air.  A  sud- 
den glare,  too  red  for  the  moon,  is  enveloping  them. 
Flames  are  leaping  from  Quarry  Hill.  There  are 
confused  cries,  and  by  the  fire's  flare,  the  press  and 
sway  of  the  crowd  round  the  burning  cottage  can 
be  clearly  seen. 

They  stand  helplessly  rooted  to  the  spot,  stand 
in  reality  only  minutes,  though  it  seems  ages,  while 
the  flames  mount,  waver,  and  at  last  fall  to  a  cloud 
of  dense  smoke. 

Some  one  comes  running  toward  them  up  the 
hill,  and  Sam's  voice  cries : 

"  Mr.  Richard — you  ?  Schmidt's  house  is  afire, 
one  end,  an'  he's  in  t'other;  dassent  show  hissolf. 
An'  he  wants  you — quick !  " 

Then  it  is  the  dazed  man  spring  to  life  and  action. 

"  Get  me  Bayonne ;  don't  saddle." 

"  Bayonne's  in  town  waitin'  f'r  Paul,  but  I'll  git 
y'  somethin',"  and  he  disappears,  running. 

"  Paul— Oh,  thank  God!  "  bursts  from  the  girl's 
lips.  Then,  collecting  herself.  "  But  we  cannot 
wait  for  him.  Let  us  go." 

"  You  go  to  the  House." 

They  have  changed  places  once  more.  The  mas- 
culine dominates.  Matter  sways  mind. 

"  Let  me  go  with  you,  Richard,"  she  entreats. 

"  No." 

"  They  love  me ;  they  will  listen  to  me,"  she  im- 
nlores. 


440  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  They  don't  love  me,  but — they'll  listen." 

He  is  examining  his  revolver  by  the  uncertain 
light. 

"  But  there  is  danger,  and  my  place  is  by  your 
side.  It  is  still  my  right,  not  hers,  the  Other 
Woman.  You  shall  not  stop  me,"  she  cries  passion- 
ately, "  I  will  follow;  I  will  crawl  if  I  must!  " 

He  stares  at  her  in  fascinated  wonder. 

And  he  has  doubted  this  woman's  love ;  has  called 
her  cold ;  has  all  but  deserted  her  for 

Sam  comes,  pulling  a  barebacked  colt.  Richard 
seizes  the  bridle,  grasping  a  handful  of  the  horse's 
mane.  She  is  close  to  him,  but  she  does  not  inter- 
pose nor  speak.  Her  brave  lips  even  smile.  He  is 
going  to  danger,  but  also  to  his  Duty. 

"  Go  to  the  House,"  he  repeats  sternly. 

"  And  you  to  that  mob  ?    Never!  " 

She  looks  every  inch  the  queen,  facing  him  there 
in  the  moonlight,  defying  him,  standing  upon  her 
right  to  share  his  lot  whatsoever. 

He  drops  the  bridle  then,  takes  one  stride  and 
catches  her  in  his  arms.  He  pushes  her  head  back 
against  his  shoulder  and  gazes  deep,  deep  into  her 
eyes. 

"  Great  God !  "  he  cries,  infinite  self-contempt  in 
his  tone,  "  what  a  fool  I've  been.  There  ISN'T  any 
Other  Woman — in  all  earth  nor  heaven.  Wait 
for  me,  my  love ;  stay  with  me,  safe  as  a  saint.  I'm 
coming  back  to  you — Richard  sober!" 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  441 


CHAPTER    XLIL 

WHO  IS  GUILTY? 

WHEN  her  uncle  awoke,  Lilys  told  him  the  con- 
dition of  affairs  and  of  Mr.  Howard's  fears.  At 
once  he  arose  and  dressed,  saying  they  would  go  up 
to  the  village  and  see  what  could  be  done  toward 
quieting  and  sending  the  people  to  their  homes. 

As  they  ascended  the  hill,  gazing  ahead  with 
straining  apprehension,  the  sick  man  supported  by 
the  girl,  they  could  see  by  the  gate  torches  and  by  the 
now  strengthened  moon  how  the  crowd  had  con- 
verged and  was  packed  before  Schmidt's  cottage, 
which  was  still  smoking  at  the  rear,  their  first  in- 
timation that  there  had  been  a  fire. 

As  they  paused  for  rest  by  the  roadside,  they  saw 
a  horseman  from  the  House  road  with  difficulty 
force  his  way  through  the  crowd  before  the  gate; 
saw  him  dismount  and  enter  the  cottage. 

At  this  the  Rector  and  Lilys  pressed  forward  with 
all  haste;  but  almost  immediately  the  cottage  door 
opened,  two  men  emerged,  the  dark  row  of  figures 
along  the  porch  came  to  life  and  all  descended  to  the 
throng  below. 


442  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

There  was  what  seemed  to  be  a  parley,  while  the 
two  watchers  held  their  breath.  Then  several  shots 
rang  out  in  quick  succession.  The  mob  surged, 
wave-like,  back  from  the  gate,  but  at  once  closed  in 
again. 

Before  the  sick  man  and  his  companion  could 
move  or  speak,  the  swift  hoof-beats  of  a  running 
horse  sounded  on  the  stony  path  below  them,  and 
they  drew  away  to  the  roadside.  As  the  rider 
flashed  past,  Lilys  recognized  Bayonne.  But  before 
the  horseman  reached  the  crowd,  the  white-clad 
form  of  a  woman  ran  before  him  into  the  very  press 
of  the  mob,  and  two  more  reports  broke  the  stillness, 
followed  by  a  chorus  of  wild  cries. 

The  rider  flung  down  at  the  gate,  and  by  the  flare 
of  the  torches  they  could  see  him  motioning  the 
crowd  away;  could  see  the  men  fall  back  and  re- 
main; could  see  Paul  stooping  over  some  objects 
on  the  ground. 


"Ruth!" 

"Tony,  Tony,  is  it  you?  Oh,  for  heaven's  sake 
what's  happened  over  there?" 

Antonio  dropped  upon  the  upper  step  of  Marah's 
porch  and  stared  before  him  into  the  white  night. 
In  his  excitement  he  did  not  notice  that  his  compan- 
ion had  a  shawl  about  her  head  and  that  the  skirt 
of  her  best  dress,  in  which  she  was  clad,  was  all  dew- 
draggled. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  443 

"  Marah's  with  Hilma,  and  I've  been  alone  all 
night ;  it  must  be  most  morning.  No  one's  thought 
of  me  here  all  by  myself,  and  oh,  I've  been  so  scared. 
I  saw  the  fire  and  heard  the  shooting  and — 

"  And  you've  been  fairly  eating  your  heart  out 
with  fears  for  your  lover.  Why,  how  could  you 
stay  away?  Most  of  the  women  were  there,  and 
both  the  ladies  in  their  Sunday  clothes — 

"  Oh,  tell  me  what  has  happened — tell  me !  " 

To  her  nervous  anxiety,  wrought  almost  to  the 
point  of  exposure,  his  manner  seemed  more  than  de- 
liberate, his  speech  unusually  slow. 

"  You  saw  the  fire,"  he  began,  "  It  was  Schmidt's 
house,  though  he'd  put  his  prisoners  in  the  cellar  to 
prevent  that  very  thing.  He'd  had  Andersen  and 
Scanlan  arrested  for  assault.  The  shed  kitchen 
burned,  but  was  pulled  away  before  the  rest  caught. 
Then  Schmidt  got  scared  and  sent  for  the  Boss's 
son." 

He  paused,  causelessly,  and  though  he  remained 
silent  for  ages,  it  seemed  to  the  listener,  she  dared 
not  press  the  narrative. 

"  As  soon  as  he  came,  he  ordered  the  crowd  to 
disperse,  but  they  did  not  obey  to  any  great  extent. 
Without  a  second  order,  he  had  the  deputies  fire. 
The  Hansen  boy  was  killed  and  some  Italians 
wounded.  (All  this,  of  course,  before  Paul  got 
there.)  Well,  the  crowd  didn't  break  up  even  then, 


444  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

but  kept  jamming  up  to  the  gate,  where  Eldreth 
stood  just  outside,  right  in  the  torch-light.  Oh,  he's 
devilish  brave — in  some  things.  Then  some  one 
fired  from  the  crowd  and  .  .  .  ' 

Again  the  narrator  paused  and  sat  with  his  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  trembling  fingers  fumbling  with  the 
shawl-fringe.  And  again,  she  refrained  from  press- 
ing him. 

"  .  .  .  And  Eldreth  fell.  And  just  as  Paul 
reached  the  gate,  the  sheriff  returned  the  shot  and 
dropped  his  man — Swensson." 

Another  long  silence,  and  this  time  she  had  to 
break  it. 

"And  he— Mr.  Richard?" 

"  They  took  him  over  to  the  House  and  have  sent 
to  Boulder  and  even  to  Denver,  but  cui  bonof  All 
the  doctors  in  the  state  can't  save  him." 

The  girl  fell  down  upon  the  lower  step  and 
for  a  moment  not  a  word  was  spoken.  Then  she 
lifted  a  livid  face  with  accusing  eyes. 

"  It's  you  have  killed  him,  Antonio  Garia;  this  is 
your  work." 

He  stared  down  at  her.  "  I  wish  to  God  it  was, 
since  you  care  so  much.  No,  no  es  eso,"  he  went  on 
coolly,  pulling  his  revolver  from  its  holster.  "  The 
damned  thing  wouldn't  go  off,"  and  he  showed  her 
the  cylinder  with  the  six  cartridges  in  place.  He  re- 
garded the  weapon  reproachfully,  then  flung  it  back 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  445 

with  an  exclamation  of  disgust.  "  They  found  Gus- 
tav's,  one  load  gone,  still  in  his  hand.  But — it's  well 
worth  hell.  Saved  some  hell  here  if  he'd  done  it  a 
year  ago." 

"  And  all  because  of  a  little  gold  chain,  a  great 
thing  to  shoot  a  man  for.  And  she  asked  him  for 
it;  he  told  me  so  himself." 

"Ay  que  necio! "  blurted  out  Antonio  scornfully, 
"  You  fool !  you.  .  .  .  you  .  .  .  Madre  de  Dios! 
were  yo  uborn  yesterday?  Why,— 

He  stopped  for  want  of  words  and  another  pause 
ensued.  The  girl  did  not  look  up  as  she  hesitatingly 
asked  her  next  question. 

"  Did  he  ...  did  Mr.  Richard  .  .  .  say  any- 
thing?" 

Again  the  man  waited  long  before  answering. 
Then  he  said,  more  than  ever  deliberately : 

"  He  spoke  just  one  short  word,  the  name  of  the 
woman  God's  mercy  has  prevented  his  marrying." 

She  started  guiltily.  "  Who — whose  ?  "  she  stam- 
mered, "  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Whose?  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  He 
couldn't  marry  but  one  of  them  according  to  law, 
could  he?  Whose?  Of  whom  does  a  man  think 
at  a  time  like  that?  Did  you  imagine  he'd  call  for 
that  divorced  woman  in  Denver  or  for  some  of  his 
chorus  girls  or  for  some  of  his  Quarry  Town  girls  ?  " 

"  Only  ...  I  didn't  know  he  was  going  to 
marry  her." 


446  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Oh,  you  didn't  ?  Really !  And  the  engage- 
ment announced  two  years  ago  in  the  papers?  You 
didn't,  and  you  teaching  alongside  her  all  that  time 
and  she  wearing  that  big  Eldreth  diamond?  Well, 
he  was.  The  day  was  next  Friday.  My  brother 
mailed  the  invitations.  You  didn't  happen  to  receive 
one — no?  They  were  engraved  on  satin  paper, 
Pepito  said,  with  a  crest  and  a  motto  in  a  language 
you  and  I  couldn't  read ;  and  they  said :  '  John  How- 
ard requests  you  to  the  marriage  of  his  daughter 
Nina,  to  Mr.  Richard  Huntington  Eldreth.'  Now 
do  you  know  which  one  he  had  decided  to  honor, 
and  which  ones  to  dishonor  ?  Yes  ?  " 

The  girl  was  staring  fixedly  across  at  the  House, 
at  the  steady  stream  of  light  from  the  middle  win- 
dow of  three,  but  she  did  not  reply. 

"  And  she  was  right  there,"  pursued  Antonio, 
"  just  an  instant  before  Paul.  No  fault  of  hers  that 
it's  not  she  lying  over  there  at  the  House  with  a 
bullet  through  her.  But, — gracias  a  Dios!  He 
knows  what  He  is  about ;  so  she  got  before  the  man 
only  in  time  to  catch  the  ball  through  the  flesh  of  her 
arm  and  a  shade  too  late  to  save  him. 

"  Oh,  there's  a  woman  for  you,  a  thoroughbred, 
a  queen,  a  saint.  They  two  had  quarreled  over  at 
the  house  (William  heard  it  all),  but  knowing  he 
was  going  to  danger,  she  followed  to  share  it.  Right 
between  him  and  that  mob  she  ran,  her  face  to  it, 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  447 

her  arms  flung  out;  and,  bleeding  though  she  was, 
she  and  Paul  lifted  him  together.  She  took  his  head 
in  her  lap,  wiped  the  blood  from  his  mouth,  and  her 
hands  never  shook;  and  there  wasn't  a  tear,  nor  a 
bitter  word,  though  she  knew  his  murderer  was 
there  among  us.  Just  leaned  down  to  make  out  what 
he  was  trying  to  say  to  her,  and  I  tell  you,  when  she 
lifted  her  hand  for  silence,  you  could  have  heard  a 
mouse  move.  No  wonder  he  loved  her! 

"  While  they  were  waiting  for  the  carriage,  she 
motioned  the  sheriff  to  bring  the  prisoner  nearer; 
and  she  talked  to  him  so  low  we  couldn't  hear,  but 
Sam,  who  was  nearer,  holding  Bayonne,  said  after- 
ward that  she  asked  Gustav  two  or  three  questions, 
just  enough  to  get  the  truth,  Eldreth  being  uncon- 
scious by  this  time.  Sam  said  she  turned  as  white 
as  the  man  she  was  holding,  but  right  away  she 
lifted  up  her  head  and  told  Gus  he  could  go  away 
feeling  easy  about  his  wife;  if  she  grew  worse,  she, 
Miss  Howard,  would  see  to  it  that  he  was  brought 
back  in  time,  and  in  any  case  the  child  should  be 
taken  care  of.  Miss  Howard  herself  would  adopt  it 
as  her  very  own  if  by  any  means  she  could  gain  the 
consent  of  the  Andersens.  Poor  Gus!  his  face  till 
then  was  as  hard  as  rocks,  but  at  that  we  all  saw  him 
go  right  down  by  her  and  cry  like  a  child  and  beg 
she'd  forgive  him.  And  it  was  she  comforted  him — 
think  of  it!  Took  his  handcuffed  hand  and  said 


448  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

that  his  temptation  had  been  great,  and  that  she 
would  pray  for  God  to  forgive  him.  Oh,  I  tell  you, 
Old  Eldreth  is  right;  blood  tells.  Common  folks 
don't  do  those  uncommon  acts. 

"  As  for  the  rest,  the  Italians  will  live ;  Gustav's 
wound  is  slight,  he  will  live — to  hang " 

"  To  hang!  "  she  broke  in,  unable  longer  to  con- 
trol herself,  "  when  you  .  .  .  you  brought  on  the 
strike  with  that  speech  of  yours;  when  you  are  the 
murderer — you! " 

"  Como!  de  veras?"  he  cried  in  mock  astonish- 
ment, "  Es  posible?  "  Then  leaning  down  to  her, 
his  gleaming  black  eyes  piercing  her  through  and 
through:  "If  my  gun  hadn't  failed  me  (and  I 
never  knew  it  to  fail  before)  do  you  know  who 
would  be  guilty  of  that  man's  blood,  Ruth  Bradley  ? 
Not  I,  though  I  would  be  where  poor  Gus  is 
tonight.  Tell  me,  who  was  it  sent  a  message  to 
Eldreth  last  Sunday  evening?  Who  had  him  with 
her  Thursday  night  in  the  absence  of  the  man  she  is 
pledged  to  marry  ?  Whom  did  I  hear  called  '  Eld- 
reth's  latest '  no  longer  ago  than  yesterday  ?  Dios 
mio!  and  you  dare  to  sit  there  and  accuse  me  of 
murder!  " 

He  rose  and  began  tramping  up  and  down  before 
her. 

"  Si,  si!  A  woman  wins  a  man  with  her  pretty 
pink  face  and  soft,  innocent  ways.  He  becomes  her 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  449 

willing  slave,  even  though  his  father  warns  him 
against  the  Anglo  blood,  remembering  his  own  mis- 
take. But  he  loves  the  pink  face,  he  has  tasted  the 
sweet  mouth,  and  he  will  not  be  warned.  He  offers 
her  honorable  marriage.  But  his  love  is  not  enough, 
nor  that  of  her  father,  nor  of  such  friends  as  Nina 
Howard  and  Paul  Menendez.  No  sooner  does  her 
betrothed  look  the  other  way  than  she  must  lift  her 
lips  to  the  first  scoundrel  who  has  a  flattering  word 
for  her.  Then  when  the  mere  thought  of  it  rouses 
the  devil  in  her  lover's  heart  (which  is  only  flesh  and 
blood)  he  is  an  assassin,  a  murderer;  while  she,  the 
innocent,  the  immaculate — es  admirable!  " 

He  was  becoming  more  excited  as  he  tramped,  his 
gestures  more  rapid,  more  frequent : 

"  I  brought  on  the  strike,  you  say.  Muy  bien;  I 
did.  But  if  my  promised  wife  had  dealt  a  rebuff, 
square  and  unmistakable  in  the  face  of  the  first 
advance  of  that  scoundrel,  would  I  have  meddled 
with  Paul's  good  work?  Would  I  have  made  that 
speech  in  meeting  when  he  was  away,  and  kicked 
up  this  row  ?  Who  stirred  the  devil  in  me  ?  Who's 
at  the  bottom  of  the  whole  damnable  business? 
Who's  answerable  for  three  lives  and  a  mix  that  may 
never  untangle?  Who?' 

He  did  not  wait  for  an  answer  from  the  cowering 
form  on  the  lower  step,  but  railed  on: 

"  Hilma  will  die,  but  who  pities  her  ?    The  love 


450  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

of  an  honest  man  was  not  enough  for  her  either. 
She  too  must  have  a  fine  gentleman  lover.  Well,  she 
got  what  she  was  looking  for.  Women  do,  mostly. 
If  they  love  the  flesh,  they  get  it ;  if  the  spirit,  that. 
There  is  Miss  Howard :  she  came  near  finding  good 
in  the  devil,  merely  because  she  was  looking  for 
good.  Even  after  that  brute  had  quarreled  with  her 
(for  a  cause  that  was  all  honor  to  her),  after  he'd 
taunted  her  and  threatened  to  go  off  with  some  other 
woman  if  she  denied  him  (some  woman  'not  so 
chary  with  her  gifts  ')  after  all  that,  what?  When 
finds  he  must  face  that  mob  and  death,  likely,  and 
so  comes  to  his  true,  sober  self,  then  what?  Why, 
this,  mark  you  well :  When  she  pleads  her  right 
above  the  other  woman's  to  share  his  danger,  there, 
even  before  Sam,  he  takes  her  in  his  arms  and  tells 
her  the  fool  he's  been;  that  for  him  here  ISN'T  any 
Other  Woman ;  that  she's  to  stay  there  at  the  House 
as  safe  as  a  saint,  for  all  he'll  harm  her.  And  when 
he's  dying,  when  a  man  tells  the  truth  if  he  knows 
how,  he  asks  over  and  over,  not  God's  mercy,  but  her 
forgiveness,  and  says  he's  never  for  one  hour  loved 
any  one,  body  or  soul,  but  her.  And  not  a  message, 
not  a  thought  for  the  Other  Woman.  I'm  here  to 
tell  you  that  if  a  man's  got  one  little  clean  spot  in 
him,  he's  going  to  show  it  to  the  woman  who's  look- 
ing for  clean  things;  who's  clean  herself  and  de- 
mands cleanness." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  451 

He  had  stopped  before  her,  and  was  hurling  his 
words  like  stones  down  upon  the  head  hidden  in  the 
shawl : 

"  He  has  never  for  one  hour  loved  any  one,  body 
or  soul,  but  Nina  Howard !  That's  damned  hard 
on  the  Swede  mother  of  that  black-haired  baby  up 
at  Andersen's.  And  it's  something  for  that  Other 
Woman  to  take  with  her  to  her  grave,  since  it  seems 
to  be  the  only  word  he's  left  her.  God  takes  care  of 
fools,  they  say;  never  lets  them  quite  fall;  but  if  I 
were  that  Other  Woman,  I'd  not  stop  with  thanks 
to  God.  I'd  crawl  and  kiss  Nina  Howard's  feet  for 
the  sanctified  lie  she  told  before  us  all  about  the 
carriage.  I'd  give  my  life,  such  as  it  was,  to  Paul 
Menendez  who,  once  for  all  time  sealed  Sam's  mouth 
and  fixed  it  so  's  William  will  hold  his  tongue." 

"  Antonio !  " 

With  shaking  limbs  and  chattering  teeth  she  had 
dragged  herself  and  was  clasping  his  knees.  He 
stood  looking  down  at  her  with  bloodshot,  tragic 
eyes.  He  did  not  stoop  to  her,  but  talked  on,  half 
to  himself: 

"  He  shall  have  my  life,  such  as  it  is,  but  Cuerpo 
de  Dios!  will  he  ever  trust  me  again?  ever  respect 
me?  He  would  not  even  let  me  help."  His  voice 
choked  and  his  chin  sank  to  his  breast.  "  He  could 
see  I'd  broken  my  promises  to  him,  and  he  seemed 
to  know,  in  that  way  he  has  of  seeing  through 


452  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

things,  that  most  of  the  row  was  my  doings.  Dios! 
I  felt  like  a  sneak  when  he  put  his  hand  on  my 
shoulder  and  his  eyes  through  me  and  said :  '  Stand 
here,  Garia,  and  wait  till  I  come.'  Then  he  picked 
out  men  all  around  me,  Johnson  and  his  son  and 
Fredricks  and  Old  Peterson  and  Sam  and  my  little 
Pepito,  to  help  get  Hansen  home  and  the  Dagos  in 
and  Eldreth  over  to  the  House,  and  they  all  looked 
at  me  as  though  I  were  some  low  cur, — I,  who've 
always  stood  right  next  to  Menendez  in  everything." 

The  man  lifted  his  head,  a  new  light  in  his  dark 
eyes. 

"  But  he'll  see,  if  only  he'll  give  me  another  chance 
up  at  Ward  with  him.  I'll  show  him  yet  that  An- 
tonio Garia,  son  of  his  father,  can  be  depended  upon. 
For  he  said  truth  in  his  talk  with  me  after  the 
others  were  gone :  that  the  woman  doesn't  walk 
God's  earth  who  should  be  able  to  destroy  a  man's 
usefulness,  undermine  his  manhood,  spoil  his  whole 
life.  I  know  that  even  Lilys  Eldreth  couldn't  do  it 
for  him ;  and  you  shan't  for  me." 

He  stooped  and  gripped  her  shoulder  fiercely. 
"  No,  and  you  shan't  spoil  any  other  man's  life 
either."  And  he  pulled  her  roughly  to  her  feet, 
glaring  at  her  menacingly. 

But  she  fell  again  at  his  feet,  groveling  and 
whimpering. 

"  Get  up !  "  he  said,  moving  backward,  contempt 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  453 

in  his  tone,  "  I  ought  to,  I  ought  to !  My  father 
would  do  it  in  my  place.  But  no — estoy  resuelto." 

Even  her  imperfect  knowledge  of  Spanish  told 
her  she  was  safe.  She  scrambled  to  her  feet  and 
stood,  half  fearful  still,  studying  his  expression. 

"  Tony,"  she  whispered,  edging  closer  to  him, 
"  don't  you  love  me  ?  You  used  to." 

The  fire  dulled  in  his  eyes. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  listlessly,  "  Yes,  I  love  you ;  I  can't 
do  anything  else." 

She  gave  a  little  cry,  the  note  of  a  spoiled  child 
at  the  gaining  of  its  own  way,  and  sinking  against 
his  breast,  lifted  her  lips  close  to  his. 

"  And  now  we  .  .  .  we  will  ...   ?  " 

He  turned  his  face  away  from  her,  and  looked  off 
toward  the  whitening  east. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  we'll  marry.    I  promised  Paul." 


454  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

"  FRIDAY    NEXT." 

RICHARD  ELDRETH  died  an  hour  after  they  laid 
him  upon  his  own  bed,  not  once  regaining  con- 
sciousness. 

The  wires  tingled  with  vain  summons  for  his 
father.  The  Auditorium  Annex,  when  asked,  replied 
that  Mr.  Eldreth  was  out  of  the  city,  they  did  not 
know  where,  but  had  retained  his  room  with  them, 
with  instructions  to  keep  mail  for  another  week. 

So  the  funeral,  delayed  as  long  as  expedient,  fin- 
ally took  place  on  Friday,  a  minister  from  Boulder 
officiating.  The  church  was  packed  with  towns- 
men, and  ranchmen  from  miles  around.  The  flower- 
covered  casket  rested  at  the  foot  of  the  chancel.  In 
the  Eldreth  pew  sat  the  three  mourners,  Edwin 
Allan,  Lilys  and  Nina.  The  service  was  simple,  all 
three  had  wished  it  so;  and  the  music  of  Howard's 
choosing  was  especially  touching. 

The  choir's  second  soprano  was  about  to  sing  the 
closing  solo.  The  organ's  muffled  reverberations 
intoned  a  deep,  full  chord,  and  the  girl  walked  slowly 
forward  and  stood  throughout  the  murmured  pre- 
lude. She  touched  the  first  notes  of  the  soul-cry 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  455 

tenderly,  pleadingly,  her  pure  voice  growing  in 
sweetness  and  power  as  the  words'  full  meaning 
took  possession  of  her : 

"  O  Thou,  who  shunned  not  Calvary, 
My  tortured  soul  pours  out  to  Thee 
Its  anguished  pleading,  Help  Thou  me, 
Thou  Mighty  One  !  " 

The  organ  interlude  sighed  into  silence  and  the 
girlish  voice  caught  up  the  tone  again,  one  single, 
tremulous  note,  when — what  happened  ?  how  was  it  ? 
The  tone  was  snatched  from  her,  and  she  was  left 
standing  mute  and  terrified,  while  her  wondering 
audience  heard  another  voice,  Lilys's  voice,  and  yet 
not  Lilys's  voice;  deeper,  sadder  than  death,  wider 
than  the  world's  woe;  another  voice,  uplifting  the 
failing,  melody,  and  bearing  it  on,  grandly,  irresist- 
ibly. 

"  Marah !  " 

The  electrified  congregation  sat  upright  and  im- 
moveable  as,  from  somewhere  back  near  the  door, 
she  moved  down  the  centre  aisle,  her  arms  slowly 
uplifting,  her  eyes  agleam  with  the  strange  fire,  her 
body  swaying  rhythmically  to  the  swell  of  the  har- 
mony. 

"  My  feet  are  pierced  by  many  a  thorn, 
My  human  heart  is  passion-torn, 
So  weak  for  all  the  burdens  borne, 
Thou  Loving  One  !  " 


456  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

She  was  at  the  foot  of  the  chancel  now,  standing 
beside  the  flower-covered  casket;  but  her  eyes  were 
lifted  and  fastened  upon  the  compassionate  face  of 
the  Thorn-crowned  One  above  the  high  altar. 

«•  Behold  me  !     At  Thy  feet  I  lie  ! 

Undone,  for  mercy  thus  I  cry. 

Uplift,  uphold  me,  else  I  die, 

Thou  Pitying  One  !  " 

As  the  strain  ceased,  her  gaze  descended  to  the 
set  face  in  the  open  casket,  that  beautiful  face  with 
its  long  dark  lashes  and  its  soft  damp  hair.  And 
there  rose  a  cry,  piercing,  heart-rending,  the  cry 
universal  of  mother-love  and  mother-anguish  for 
her  first-born.  She  threw  herself  down  upon  the 
casket,  her  face  against  the  face  of  the  dead,  and  a 
tiny  stream  issuing  from  her  lips  stained  the  calm 
white  face  beneath. 

Then  the  congregation  found  volition  and  speech. 
A  murmur  rose.  The  officiating  minister  started 
down  the  chancel  steps;  Allan  opened  the  door  of 
the  Eldreth  pew,  and  the  village  doctor  came  pushing 
forward. 

But  Paul  reached  her  first  and  lifting  the  slight 
figure  in  his  arms,  turned  to  the  side  door.  The 
people  were  pressing  forward,  but  the  way  was 
cleared  for  him,  close-walled  by  awed  faces.  He 
crossed  the  yard  to  the  Rectory,  Allan  and  the  phy- 
sician behind  him. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  457 

The  Rector  led  the  way  up  to  an  unused  room, 
her  own  in  the  old  time,  where  a  snowy  bed  seemed 
awaiting  some  one.  Paul  iaid  her  down  and  hung 
anxiously  above  her.  The  physician,  put  his  hand 
to  her  heart,  felt  the  quick  pulse,  listened  to  the  in- 
coherent muttering  and  looked  grave.  Neither  of 
the  men  asked  a  question  and  he  volunteered  no  in- 
formation. He  administered  a  drug  and  with  ex- 
plicit orders  to  admit  no  one,  he  returned  to  the  in- 
terrupted service. 

The  two  sat  at  either  side  of  the  bed,  each  clasping 
a  hand  of  the  sleeper.  As  she  passed  under  the 
opiate  she  uttered  broken  words  that  gave  glimpses 
of  her  past,  so  little  known  to  one  of  them.  She 
spoke  the  names  "  Edwin,"  and  "  Edith; "  she  re- 
peated how  useless  it  was  to  destroy  the  letter;  she 
assured  "Manuel"  that  she  would  be  his;  she 
begged  to  see  her  little  boy;  she  sang  snatches  of 
the  old  love  song,  "  Nay,  Kiss  Me  No  More  " ;  she 
heaped  bitter  reproaches  upon  some  one ;  she  begged 
some  one  to  call  her  "  mother  "  just  once ;  and  she 
laughed  her  harsh  jarring  laugh,  and  gasped  and 
struggled  and  broke  her  long  hair  till  Paul,  his  tears 
falling,  sat  on  the  bed  and  held  her  as  he  would  a 
little  child,  till  the  opiate  grasped  her. 

The  Rector  glanced  covertly  at  his  companion. 
Did  Paul  guess  what  Richard  Eldreth  had  been  to 
this  woman,  or  did  he  think  her  reason  shaken? 


458  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

And  how  had  he  accounted  for  the  bitterness  be- 
tween his  mother  and  Pierce  Eldreth?  for  Eldreth's 
hatred  of  the  memory  of  Paul's  father?  for  Eldreth's 
very  apparent  antagonism  for  Paul  himself?  But 
the  young  man's  face  was  unreadable,  and  Allan  re- 
turned to  the  church,  wondering  how  much  Marah 
might  reveal  of  the  sad  past. 

When  he  and  the  phyisician  returned,  the  latter 
cleared  the  Rectory  yard  alike  of  the  friendly  and 
the  morbidly  curious.  He  even  sent  away  Helene 
and  Lilys  and  Nina.  He  examined  Marah's  condi- 
tion with  great  care,  then  passed  from  the  room, 
Paul  following,  an  unspoken  question  in  his  eyes. 
The  physician  gave  a  negative  sign,  his  kindly  hand 
on  the  young  man's  shoulder. 

"  Only  a  few  hours,  at  most,"  he  said.  "  I 
will  return  when  I  have  seen  Mrs.  Swensson,  with 
whom  also  it  is  but  a  question  of  hours." 

When  Paul  returned  toward  the  sick  room  he 
was  surprised  to  find  the  Rector  outside  the  half- 
open  door,  pale,  his  eyes  bright  from  excitement. 
He  laid  a  finger  on  his  lips  and  drawing  Paul  close 
to  his  side,  pointed  into  the  gloom  of  the  chamber. 

Marah  was  sitting  up  in  bed,  rocking  a  fancied 
burden  in  her  arms  and  crooning  softly : 

"  Is  it  death,  is  it  death,  my  Dearie  ? 

Sleep,  sleep  ! 

Ne'er  to  weep,  ne'er  to  weep,  nor  weary, 
Sleep,  sleep  ! 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  459 

It  is  death,  it  is  death,  my  Dearie, 

That's  best  ! 
I'll  not  weep,  I'll  not  weep  ;  life  is  dreary. 

Rest,  rest  !  " 

The  lullaby  done,  she  stared  into  vacancy  for  a 
while,  then  sighed  repeatedly,  "  Only  one  now,  only 
one."  Then,  with  a  world  of  tenderness,  "  My  poor 
little  girlie  ....  but  three  days  mine !  "  Next  in 
her  harshest,  most  rasping  tone,  "  Thus  should  it 
be,  thus  shall  it  be  ...  Edith  Eldreth  .... 
Marah  Maitland  .  .  .  never  forgets !  " 

As  she  sank  back,  white  and  rigid  among  the 
pillows,  the  Rector  sprang  to  the  bed,  a  great  fear 
stamped  upon  his  face.  Was  she  dead?  Would  she 
never  speak  again  ? 

Paul  resumed  his  place  on  the  side  of  the  bed  say- 
ing quietly :  "  She  is  raving  again.  I  shall  repeat 
the  opiate  the  physician  left.  Leave  her  with  me, 
Mr.  Allan;  you  yourself  are  ill." 

But  the  Rector  pushed  him  firmly  aside  and  went 
down  on  his  knees  beside  her.  Her  eyes  opened, 
and  this  time  sanity  shone  from  their  depths. 

"  What  has  happened  ?  "  she  whispered. 

"  You  have  been  ill,"  he  replied  gently,  his  sooth- 
ing hand  on  her  forehead.  Then  as  he  saw  her  eyes 
closing,  his  fear  seized  his  heart  again,  and  he  lifted 
her  quickly,  speaking  with  sharp  emphasis,  "  111, 
delirious,  raving." 


460  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

The  effect  was  magical.  The  eyes  opened  in- 
stantly, and  with  quick  comprehension,  yet  with 
feminine  subtlty,  she  asked  : 

"What  have  I  ...  told?" 

"  Your  secret,  that  which  all  these  years  has  been 
devouring  your  soul  and  consuming  your  brain." 

She  fell  back,  staring  up  at  him. 

"  I  charge  you,  Marah  Maitland,  as  a  dying  wo- 
man, soon,  so  soon,  to  stand  before  the  Judge  of 
Souls, — I  charge  you,  while  yet  you  may,  to  right 
this  wrong  you  have  clone !  " 

There  was  a  silence,  to  one  an  agonizing, 
stiffling  suspense.  So  much  hung  upon  that  fragile 
life-thread Would  she  never  speak  ? 

Paul  learned  against  the  headboard  of  the  bed, 
helpless  to  arrest  or  even  to  turn  the  flood-tide  of  his 
fate. 

"  Forgive  me,  Edwin,"  moaned  the  sufferer,  "  I 
have  been  punished  too  deeply.  Ever  in  the  night 
I  can  see  her  glazing  eyes,  her  horrified  eyes,  as 
when  I  tore  her  baby  from  her  arms  and  she  knew 
I  was  unrelenting.  I  cursed  her  dying ;  but  the 
curse  has  followed  me.  Only  I  have  suffered,  and 
Paul — poor  Paul,  who  has  been  so  good  to  me. 
.  .  .  Ah,  fools  and  dupes,  to  make  a  slave  of  one 

of  your  own  flesh  and  blood Will  God  be 

pitiful,  since  I  was  not?  " 

Then  it  was  the  divine  within  him  triumphed  and 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  461 

Edwin  Allan  soothed  the  passing  soul  with  words 
of  hope,  reminding  her  of  the  all-forgiving  spirit 
of  the  Son,  bidding  her  rest  on  the  mercy  of  the 
Father. 

She  sank  away,  they  thought  forever  and  both 
kneeled,  clasping  her  hands.  But  her  lips  moved 
and  a  look  of  ineffable  yearning  came  into  her 
mother-eyes. 

"Lilys!" 

Paul  arose  but  she  clung  to  his  hand  and  drew 
him  down,  searching  his  face  with  those  same  elo- 
quent eyes  and  rallying  all  her  flickering  life  into  one 
question.  The  lips  barely  moved;  there  was  no 
voice;  yet  he  knew. 

"Above  my  own  life,  Mother,  always;  God  hear- 
ing me !  "  he  answered  solemnly,  pressing  her  hand 
to  his  lips. 

Then  he  swiftly  left  the  room  and  the  house ;  but 
before  he  was  half  way  up  the  hill,  Pepito  overtook 
and  recalled  him;  and  when  he  again  stood  beside 
the  bed,  Edwin  Allan  had  already  heard  the  last 
sigh  of  those  lips;  and  the  soul  of  Marah  Maitland 
had  passed  to  where  it  would  know  no  more  heart- 
hunger  and  no  more  bitterness  and  no  more  sorrow. 


462  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

LOVE-BLINDED. 

THE  remnant  of  the  little  family  was  gathered  at 
the  Rectory,  themselves  to  watch  with  the  dead.  The 
undertakers  were  gone  and  all  preparation  for  the 
funeral  perfected. 

Lilys  was  in  the  garden,  clipping  white  roses  and 
iris,  while  Nina  was  changing  her  dress  in  Lilys's 
temporary  room,  the  one  off  the  study.  The  change 
was  slow  work  with  her  wounded  arm,  and  she 
thus  became  an  unwilling  listener  to  part  of  a  con- 
versation between  two  who  entered  the  study.  The 
subject  discussed  she  could  at  best  only  surmise,  and 
much  of  the  conversation  she  did  not  understand 
until  afterward. 

"  Yes,  I  have  known  it,"  Paul's  reluctant  voice 
admitted. 

"  You  have  known  it?  "  came  in  the  Rector's  sur- 
prised tones,  "Why — from  whom?  How  long?" 

"  Something  like  a  fortnight.  I  learned  it 
through  an  accident.  I.  ...  would  rather  not  ex- 
plain." 

"  Certainly ;  but  this  will  put  a  new  face  upon — 
everything.  You  have  thought  ahead,  of  course  ?  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  463 

"  I  do  not  intend  it  shall  be  known." 

"  Paul! "  gasped  Allan's  voice,  "  You  would  re- 
linquish name  and  birthright  and 

But  the  other's  even  tone  interrupted :  "  One  can- 
not well  relinquish  what  he  has  never  had."  Then 
with  a  touch  of  unaccustomed  bitterness :  "  Why 
should  I  force  myself  upon  one  to  whom  my  very 
presence  has  ever  been  an  intrusion?  No,  one  more 
interview  and  I'll  have  done  with  him.  Willing  or 
unwilling,  he  shall  give  me  that  which  I  ask.  Eld- 
hurst  has  nothing  else  I  covet, — save  always  your 
friendship  and  the  friendship  of  the  Howards." 

"  That  is  not  spoken  like  you,  lad.  If  he  has  held 
an  antipathy  for  you,  you  are  now  acquainted  with 
the  very  human  reason  for  it.  Besides,  this  is  a 
question  too  wide  and  too  weighty  for  the  considera- 
tion of  personal  feelings.  A  fortnight  ago  your 
renunciation  had  another  phase  to  it;  for  Richard 
still  lived." 

"  If  in  your  opinion,  he  deserved  consideration, 
does  not  she?  You  yourself  once  told  me  that 
pride,  social  position,  honor  of  name  and  blood  are 
the  very  air  she  breathes.  Shall  I  despoil  her  of 
them  that  I  may  enjoy  them — I,  into  whose  keeping 
she  has  given  her  happiness  No,  no,  the  truth  shall 
be  buried  in  that  grave  to-morrow  with  her  who  hid 
it  for  twenty  good  years." 

"  Living  Truth  can  not  so  be  buried ;  Justice  i§ 


464  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

not  so  to  be  set  aside  for  the  sake  of  one  woman's 
pride.  She  herself  would  not  permit  it  if  she  knew." 

"  But  she  must  never  know.  Mercy  is  greater 
than  Justice.  O  Mr.  Allan,  it  is  more  than  mere 
pride.  Think  of  all  that  cursed  name  implies :  re- 
proach, shame,  dishonor  to  man's  laws  and  to  God's. 
I  have  lived  all  my  life  under  its  black  shadow,  and  I 
know.  Do  you  think  my  hand  could  thrust  her  into 
its  darkness  and  myself  step  up  into  her  sunlight? 
Why  should  there  be  any  change  ?  I  am  accustomed 
to  the  name  and  all  that  goes  with  it.  A  man  may 
live  down,  may  rise  above  such  things.  But  she 
— a  woman,  a  girl ;  think  of  her,  I  beg  you.  All  her 
life  she  has  been  sheltered,  shielded ;  has  enjoyed 
high  social  position,  the  attention  of  the  exclusive 
circle  within  the  select  circle.  Those  are  your  own 
words  to  me  not  a  year  ago.  How  can  you  think 
of  sacrificing  her?  Have  I  not  sworn  to  the  dying 
to  treasure  her  above  life?  What  then  are  mere 
name  and  birthright  ?  " 

"  Be  silent!  "  commanded  the  other's  stern  voice, 
"  This  inordinate  love  is  blinding  you  to  the  right. 
Strange  reasoning,  indeed,  is  this,  for  one  usually 
so  clear-sighted.  Your  logic  is  singularly  illogical. 
Sit  down,  and  listen  to  me." 

The  walking  back  and  forth  across  the  room 
ceased  and  she  could  hear  a  chair  move.  Then  the 
Rector's  voice  pursued : 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  465 

"  Let  me  answer  you.  Why  should  there  be  a 
change?  Because  an  all-wise  God  has  ordered  it. 
How  can  you  thrust  her  into  darkness  and  yourself 
take  her  sunshine?  You  were  willing  something 
more  than  a  fortnight  ago,  are  still  willing,  to  draw 
her  down  to  share  such  shadow  as  yet  remains  upon 
a  name  your  life  has  all  but  redeemed.  Why,  then, 
do  you  refuse  to  step  up  into  her  clear  sunlight, 
and  higher,  keeping  her  there,  taking  her  on  and  up 
with  you  ?  For  water  does  not  more  surely  seek  its 
level  than  the  wife  her  husband's  social  status.  How 
will  she  lose  so  much  as  an  inch  of  worldy  position? 
Explain  it  to  me,  for  I  do  not  understand.  Will  not 
honor  of  name  still  be  hers, — your  name?  Is  she 
not  even  now  wholly  wrapped  up  in  you  and  your 
achievement?  And  will  she  not  more  and  more  lose 
herself  in  your  stronger  personality,  in  your  love, 
in  her  children  ?  She  will  thank  me  for  telling  her, 
for  after  the  first  little  shock " 

"  If  she  were  to  be  told,  I  myself  would  tell  her; 
but  she  shall  not  know.  Wait,  Mr.  Allan,  I  can 
answer  you,  argument  for  argument " 

"  I  have  had  samples  of  your  very  plausible  rea- 
soning. Love  is  a  sophist  of  the  first  order  when  his 
own  ends  are  in  view.  I  have  not  yet  finished  an- 
swering you.  You  bid  me  consider  her;  but  again 
I  say  the  question  is  too  wide  and  too  weighty  to  be 
narrowed  and  lightened  to  a  matter  of  personal  con- 


466  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

sideration.  Heaven  forbid  that  in  counseling  you, 
I  should  think  of  her,  of  you,  of  any  one  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  many,  of  such  portion  of  humanity  as 
your  life  will  touch. 

"  With,  then,  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest 
number  in  view,  let  us  examine  the  situation.  If  the 
truth  be  suppressed,  disinheritance  follows  the  bare 
announcement  of  her  choice.  You  retire  to  your 
life  in  a  mining-camp,  to  a  narrow  field,  your  pen 
hindered,  your  efforts  embarrassed,  your  light  under 
a  small  bushel.  The  truth  known,  and  you  come 
naturally  to  your  own,  the  unhampered  management 
of  all  things  Allan  and  Eldreth,  gathering  respon- 
sibilities with  the  years. 

"  The  Allan  estate  is  modest,  comparatively ;  rich 
only  in  heirlooms  and  family  tradition.  But  the 
Eldreth  estate  comprizes  vastly  more  than  these 
broad  acres.  There  is  the  ancestral  home  near  Hart- 
ford, with  its  people;  some  New  York  properties 
with  their  tenants,  besides  the  mines  in  California 
with  their  workers.  And,  incidentally,  all  of  these 
are  being  grossly  mismanaged  by  self-serving 
agents.  But  it  is  with  Eldhurst  you  will  be  per- 
sonally identified, — her  colonies  of  quarrymen, 
lumbermen,  sheepmen  and  general  care-takers.  Her 
interests  are  widening,  her  products  increasing. 
Her  roll-call  of  human  souls  must  keep  pace  from 
year  to  year. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  467 

"  For  the  management  of  her  varied  interests,  you 
have  demonstrated  a  peculiar  ability;  Pierce  Eld- 
reth  acknowledges  that.  You  are  full  of  practical 
plans  for  the  betterment  of  these  dependents;  you 
love  them;  they  love  you.  Right  now,  during  this 
most  trying  time,  your  influence  is  proving  out. 
You  and  I  have  always  dreamed  of  community  work 
realized  here  at  Eldhurst,  with  all  the  attendant 
blessings.  What  better  field  can  you  ask  than  that 
for  which  Nature  has  fitted  you,  and  to  which 
Heaven  itself  has  led  you  through  a  peculiar  prepara- 
tion of  life  among  the  lowly,  and  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  one  whose  intentions  were  certainly  foreign 
to  His  will? 

"  The  past  three  months  have  furnished  us  an 
example  of  mismanagement  by  mercenary  hirelings, 
with  the  master  absent  and  absorbed  in  politics.  Can 
you,  sole  and  rightful  heir,  retreat  within  the  walls 
of  your  own  home,  so-called,  though  established 
under  a  false  name, — can  you,  shifting  your  cares 
to  others,  stand  aside  and  witness  the  continuation 
of  this  misrule ;  the  growing  of  one  feeble  blade  of 
grass  for  every  half-score  that  might  be  made  to 
flourish  ?  What  a  choice !  And  I  tell  you 

•  Being  of  the  blood  you  are — my  blood — 
You  have  no  right  to  choose  ! ' 

"  If  a  man's  own  name  be  not  his  peculiar  herit- 


468  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

age,  if  the  bearing  of  it,  together  with  the  respon- 
sibilities great  and  small  which  the  bearing  involves, 
if  the  perpetuation  of  this  name — if  the  sum  of  all 
these  be  not  duty,  then  I,  His  Minister,  know 
neither  duty  nor  God's  will  concerning  man.  Paul, 
my  more  than  son,  would  you  evade  these,  curtail 
your  influence  for  good,  prescribe  your  field  of  use- 
fulness? Nay,  you  cannot  answer  even  me.  How 
then  will  you  answer  Him  who  gave  you  your  tal- 
ents and  requires  of  you  faithfulness  even  in  the 
few  things — how?  " 

"  God  help  me !  I  don't  know,"  groaned  the 
lover's  voice ;  "  I  love  her — that  I  do  know.  And 
is  that  not  enough,  since  she  loves  me?  Oh!  "  and 
she  could  hear  the  chair  impatiently  moved,  "  there 
you  stand,  Allan,  and  talk  coldly  of  usefulness,  of 
influence.  What  are  these  and  the  sum  of  them,  to 
love,  of  which  you  are  ignorant — incapable,  perhaps. 
You  argue  serenely  of  duty — my  duty  to  the 
'  greater  numbers '  that  cumber  earth.  But  what 
higher  duty  have  I  than  to  the  one — the  dear  one 
who  loves  me?  Has  she  not  condescended  to  my 
level,  consented  to  bear  a  name  to  which  even  I  have 
no  right?  Has  she  not  flung  away  all  for  me? 
You  forget  the  great  and  generous  gifts  of  a  wo- 
man's surrender :  her  whole  ripe  beauty,  rapture  of 
caress,  delight  of  companionship,  responsive  sym- 
pathy, strength  of  passion  to  match  and  meet  my 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  469 

own,  and  then — agony  of  birth  that  sons  may  call 
me  father.  And  I?  Am  I  thus  to  take  and  take, 
man- fashion,  giving  nothing?  What  have  I  to 
sacrifice  worthy  the  name?  Wealth  unearned,  a 
father  thrust  upon  me,  the  tinkling  cymbal  of  an  un- 
familiar name !  Yet  these — nothing  to  me — are  life 
itself  to  her.  You  have  said  so.  And  again — 
think !  if  the  whole  truth  were  to  be  told,  7  must  tell 
her.  God !  how  could  I  ?  I — who  should,  who 
will,  save  her  every  pang  man  may  bear  for  wo- 
man! Let  be!  let  be!  What  matter  these  baubles 
of  name  and  lands  to  '  which  chance  makes  me 
unexpected  heir  ' — what  matter  ?  Love — that  is 
enough.  My  earth  is  already  heaven  .  .  .  Thou 
hast  ravaged  my  heart,  my  sister,  my  spouse !  " 

"  Paul,  hear  me !     I " 

But  Nina  had  escaped  out  of  hearing. 

She  walked  the  rose-hedged  paths  in  search  of  her 
friend,  her  head  bowed,  her  eyes  on  the  ground.  At 
sight  of  the  slow-moving,  sable-clad  figure,  Lilys 
dropped  her  armful  of  flowers  and  springing  for- 
ward, impulsively  threw  her  arms  around  her. 

"  Nina,  dear  Sister,"  she  coaxed  sweetly,  "  don't 
think  about  him.  You  will  grieve  yourself  ill.  Oh, 
it  does  seem  all  wrong.  The  best,  the  most  deserv- 
ing are  the  greatest  sufferers — first  you  and  now 

Paul " 

"  Hush !  "  chided  the  other,  "  God  knows  best. 


470  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

His  will  be  done.  I  was  not  thinking  of  the  lost  one, 
nor  of  myself,  the  loser;  I  was  thinking  of  you, 
dear." 

"  Of  me?  Why,  I  am  so — forgive  me,  but  it  is 
truth ;  in  spite  of  everything,  I  am  happy,  so  happy." 

"  You  may  well  be.  And  whatever  befalls,  what- 
ever of  thorns  or  of  shadows  or  of  sharp  turns  may 
lie  before  you  (and  God  alone  knows!)  never  doubt 
your  husband.  Trust  to  him  and  be  content.  For 
he  is  as  loyal  and  unfailing  as  the  pole  star,  with  a 
love  that  is  past  all  believing.  O  Lilys,  fall  on  your 
knees  nightly  and  praise  God  for  His  noblest  gift — 
the  single-hearted  devotion  of  an  unselfish  man !  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  471 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

INDECISION. 

"  BUT  nothing-  can  come  between  us,  Paul  ?  "  ques- 
tioned Lilys  reiterantly  some  four  nights  later  as  he 
was  leaving  the  Rectory  for  the  Menendez  cottage 
where  he  had  insisted  upon  stopping  ever  since  his 
return  to  Eldhurst. 

Nina's  earnest  words  the  night  they  watched  with 
the  dead  had  kept  recurring  to  her  all  the  interven- 
ing days,  and  an  unaccustomed  heaviness  oppressed 
her  heart,  usually  so  care-free.  Her  uncle  had  on 
this  evening  received  a  telegram  from  her  father  an- 
nouncing his  arrival  on  the  morrow ;  and  the  certain 
knowledge  of  her  father's  opposition  to  her  choice 
in  part  accounted  for  her  heaviness  of  heart. 

Then  too,  she  was  troubled  not  a  little  over  Paul, 
but  attributed  his  abstraction  to  grief  for  his  mother. 
This  evening  since  the  receipt  of  the  telegram,  he 
had  seemed  more  than  ever  preoccupied.  She  knew 
him  too  well  to  connect  his  preoccupation  with  the 
coming  of  her  father.  Of  course  he  had  all  Eld- 
hurst  on  his  shoulders  again,  besides  his  own  affairs 
(their  own  affairs!)  though  everything  was  running 


472  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

on  as  smoothly  as  though  he  had  never  resigned 
his  foremanship. 

All  was  well,  and  they  were  happy  surely,  and  yet 
as  they  lingered  before  the  door  of  her  room  off  the 
study,  her  uncle  and  Nina  having  just  said  good- 
night, he  was  standing,  his  eyes  bent  on  the  carpet 
and  his  thoughts  she  knew,  far  astray. 

"  But   nothing  can  ?  "    she  repeated   appealingly. 

He  recalled  himself  with  an  effort.  "  Only  this," 
he  replied,  laying  his  hand  on  the  door-knob,  and 
turning  he  smiled  down  at  her  with  a  look  in  his 
eyes  she  had  not  seen  there  even  during  these  last 
days  when  love  and  sorrow  had  drawn  them  so 
close. 

"  Not  even  papa?"  she  murmured,  flushing  and 
dropping  her  eyes. 

"  Not  even  papa,"  he  assured  her  gravely. 

She  turned  the  new  "  band  of  virgin  gold  "  upon 
her  finger  in  thoughtful  silence.  "  If  I  were  in  your 
place,"  she  began. 

He  caught  up  the  clause  quickly.  "  Aye,  if  you 
were  in  my  place,  what  would  you  do — tell  me." 

"  I'd  not  hold  you  so  tight,  for  one  thing," 
smotheredly. 

"  But  you  would  hold  me,  firm  and  fast  ?  "  His 
tone  seemed  over-anxious. 

"  If  I  were  in  your  place?  Oh,  but  I  can't  fancy 
it — not  even  make-believe." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  473 

"  Try." 

She  laughed  an  amused  laugh.  "  Very  well.  I 
was  born  up  in  the  little  cottage;  I  played  with  the 
Ouarrytown  children,  went  to  the  public  school,  or 
the  mission  school,  and  maybe  I  helped  some  at 
the  house,  washing  dishes  " — with  a  wry  face — 
"  or  polishing  the  family  plate.  That  dear  little 
room  up  at  the  cottage  where  you  are  now  sleeping 
is  mine,  with  its  home-made  rug  and  muslin  curtains. 
I  have  always  been  my  own  maid,  and  my  best  dress 
this  minute  is  gingham.  .  .  .  Oh,  I'm  certain  I 
should  long  ago  have  given  up  in  despair  and 
thrown  myself  into  the  arms  of  the  first  good-look- 
ing quarryman  whose  house  had  one  more  room 
than  the  cottage  and  whose  pay  would  have  insured 
me  at  least  a  lawn  dress.  Or  perhaps,"  musingly, 
"  Harry  once  told  me  that  he  wished  I  were  a  poor 
girl,  that  then  he'd  have  married  me  in  spite  of  my- 
self. But  I  imagine  he  would  not,  if  I  had  been  not 
only  poor  but " 

She  checked  herself  in  embarrassment. 

"  What  has  love  to  do  with  poverty  or  with 
birth  ?  "  he  questioned  a  little  sharply. 

"  But  I  was  supposing  myself  in  .  .  in  your 
place,  you  know." 

"  So  am  I  supposing  it.  Wouldn't  you  have  mar- 
ried Went  worth?" 

"  No,   for   if  he  could  have  overlooked  ...  I 


474  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

mean  that  I  could  not  have  forgotten — should 
always  have  remembered  my — "  She  broke  off 
with  an  involuntary  shudder.  Then  she  looked  up 
quickly.  "  Oh  now  I  have  hurt  you ;  but  you  be- 
gan it ;  you  really  insisted." 

"But  if  it  had  been  Paul  instead  of  Harry?" 
He  attempted  carelessness,  but  his  voice  quivered 
in  spite  of  his  best  effort. 

She  drew  up  one  of  his  palms  and  cuddled  her 
soft  cheek  into  it.  "  I  ...  do  .  not  .  know,"  she 
whispered,  "  That  would  have  been — different.  If 
I  had  loved  you  as  I  love  you  now  .  .  ."  He  had 
to  stoop  lower  to  get  the  remainder.  "  I  must  have 
been  yours  ...  to  take  or  to  leave;  for  how  could 
I  have  lived — "  She  ended  with  her  lips  pressed  to 
his  palm. 

He  laid  his  other  hand  to  her  cheek  and  gently 
forced  her  eyes  to  meet  his. 

"  Say  that  again !  "  he  commanded,  tenderness 
blending  with  the  triumph  in  his  tone,  "  that  I  need 
not  live  without  you  one  hour  after  your  father 
comes;  that  whatever  chances,  you  are  mine — to 
take,  not  leave." 

But  she  did  not  say  it.  When  he  had  lifted  her 
face  so  that  her  eyes  must  again  meet  that  new, 
dazzling  light  in  his  eyes,  words  forsook  her,  and 
her  color,  though  she  strove  to  obey  him. 

A  silence  .      .  then: 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  475 

"  Now  don't  let  us  suppose  any  more,"  coaxingly, 
"  In  your  place  I'm  certain  I  should  never  have 
studied  and  striven  and  made  of  myself  all  that 
you  have  in  spite  of  ...  of  .  ."  And  again  the  un- 
trollable  shiver.  "  '  Desperate  things  '  must  have 
been  the  rule  with  me  in  that  case,  rather  than  ex- 
ceptions, as  now.  Lilys  Menendez,  so  born,  must 
have  gone  straight  to  perdition,  and  gloried  in  the 
going.  You  wouldn't  have  loved  her;  I  shouldn't 
have  let  you — But  don't,  don't  let  us  even  make- 
believe." 

Her  face  had  paled,  her  eyes  were  stars  afire.  He 
smoothed  her  hair  through  a  pause  that  on  his  side 
was  deeply  abstracted.  Had  she  looked  at  him, 
she  must  have  noted  the  quiver  of  pain  about  his  lips, 
the  sad  perplexity  of  his  eyes. 

"  I  must  go,"  he  announced  abruptly,  passing  a 
hand  over  his  brow  in  the  way  he  had  when  troubled. 

"  And  nothing  can  come  between  us — ever." 

"  Nothing.  '  Nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor 
things  present,  nor  things  to  come,'  "  he  repeated 
solemnly.  "  Come,  tell  me  good-night,  my  darling, 
for  the  last  time — in  this  way."  And  he  drew  her 
to  him  in  the  strong,  silent,  masterful  embrace  of 
the  man  sure  of  possession  before  the  going  down 
of  another  sun.  She  felt  the  warmth  of  his  mouth 
through  the  ringlets  of  hair  on  her  forehead,  on 
her  closed  eyelids,  as  he  held  her  for — neither  knew 
how  long. 


476  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

A  sweet  faintness  crept  over  her,  every  fiber 
of  her  being  quivered  response.  .  .  A  hot  hand 
wrenched  without  warning  at  her  heart,  and  some- 
thing wild  and  lawless  woke  unbidden  in  her  blood. 
Ancestral  forces  far  and  near,  conjoining,  trouped 
down  the  years  and  the  ages,  and  flung  dry  fuel 
upon  her  suddenly  flaming  senses — hurled  it,  heaped 
it  prodigally,  gleefully.  A  little-known  voice  rose 
from  the  deeps  of  her  being  in  words  checked  only 
by  the  firm  pressure  of  his  lips  to  hers,  reckless 
words  which,  once  uttered,  would  mean  .  .  .  She 
swayed  in  his  arms,  one  small  hand  against  his 
breast,  pushing  them  apart,  the  other  over  her  lips. 
No!  not  again.  Another  such  kiss,  another  instant 
in  the  close  prison  of  his  embrace  and  .  .  .  Her 
startled  eyes  questioned  his,  then  fear  and  maidenly 
shame  overcame  her  and  she  shrank  away  with  a 
sobbing  breath. 

Did  he  misinterpret  her  action?  or  was  it  that, 
furnished  with  a  knowledge  not  hers,  he  under- 
stood her  far  better  than  she  understood  herself? 
Whichever  it  was,  he  released  her  instantly,  re- 
treated a  step,  retaining  but  one  of  her  hands,  which 
he  raised  to  his  lips  with  that  delicate,  deferent 
courtesy  seemingly  a  part  of  his  nature. 

"  Forgive  me,"  he  pleaded,  "  I  should  not  have 
spoken  as  I  did.  I  am  nothing  but  a  big  brute 
of  a  man,  beside  myself  with  all  this  unmerited  joy. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  477 

Go  in  there,  and  pray  that  I  may  in  some  way 
deserve  your  woman's  great  gifts  to  me.  Good- 
night, my  Lilys." 

He  opened  the  door  of  her  room,  resigned  her 
hand  and  turned  quickly  away. 

But  with  one  of  those  unaccountable  turns  of  her 
mercurial  temperament,  she  flung  herself  before  him 
and  clung  about  his  neck,  crushing  her  lips  to  his 
with  passionate  fervor  and  whispering :  "  For  the 
last  time!  "  Then  she  fairly  ran  from  him,  closing 
the  door  swiftly  and  retreating  to  the  farthest 
window,  leaned  trembling  and  covering  her  face. 

For  what  seemed  hours  to  her,  she  lay  with  her 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  little  cottage  on  the  near  hill- 
slope  ;  but  sleep  claimed  her  and  still  it  remained  un- 
lighted. 


Just  as  the  "  wedding-day  dawn  "  was  beginning 
to  whiten  the  east  the  Rector  entered  the  little  chapel 
to  prepare  for  his  special  sunrise  service,  and  there 
he  came  upon  one  kneeling  with  head  bowed  to  the 
low  altar-rail.  He  paused  unbetrayed  and  remained 
as  motionless  as  the  figure  at  his  feet.  Slowly  his 
right  hand  extended  above  that  unconscious  head 
and  the  sign  of  the  Cross  hovered  in  the  sentient  air. 
Then  he  retreated  noiselessly,  his  eyes  moist,  his  lips 
moving. 


478  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

AS    A    MAN    SOWETH. 

PIERCE  Eldreth  was  hurrying  westward  as 
swiftly  as  steam  could  bear  him.  He  would  arrive 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  fifth  day  after  Marah's 
funeral,  and  would  of  course  come  direct  to  the 
Rectory. 

Lilys  tried  to  wait  up  for  him,  but  she  was  too 
worn  from  the  strain  of  the  last  fortnight.  She  had 
crept  into  the  great  chair  with  Paul,  and  was  striv- 
ing against  the  drowsiness  engendered  by  the  still- 
ness of  the  study  and  her  own  weariness. 

He  was  holding  her  just  as  he  had  held  her  that 
stormy  night  in  Marah's  cottage,  only  now  the  face 
against  his  breast  was  warm  with  life,  the  lips  red 
and  responsive,  and  the  eyes  looked  back  into  his 
own  with  passionate  devotion.  But  he  held  her  so 
comfortably  and  the  study  was  so  dim  and  quiet, 
that  by  and  by  the  tired  lids  closed  and  her  lover 
not  moving  a  muscle,  sat,  his  enraptured  gaze  on 
her,  oblivious  to  all  else  in  the  universe. 

From  the  opposite  side  of  the  table,  the  Rector 
regarded  the  tableau,  smilingly  wondering  what 
Pierce  Eldreth  would  say — or  do — should  he  that 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  479 

moment  open  the  study  door!  Then  the  smile 
passed,  and  he  uttered  a  prayer  of  gratitude  that  the 
girl-heart  so  dear  to  him  had  been  awakened  by  one 
whose  high  soul  would  never  exact,  nay,  would  de- 
cline to  accept,  all  the  lavish  gifts  her  warm  blood 
and  impetuous  nature  would  unregretfully  bestow. 

The  clock  struck  two.  Paul  stirred,  smoothed 
back  the  girl's  hair  and  touched  her  cheek.  She 
opened  her  eyes  and  smiled  dreamily,  but  closed 
them  again. 

If  Miss  Eldreth  would  be  kind  enough  to  release 
him  from  the  duties  of  nurse,  there  were  several 
other  duties  with  claims  upon  his  valuable  time. 
She  would  better  go  into  the  bedroom  now  and 
take  some  rest,  else  she  would  certainly  be  ill. 

She  would  go,  she  agreed,  if  he  would  come  and 
sit  beside  her. 

But  no,  he  must  see  both  Wagner  and  Johnson 
this  afternoon,  and  write  the  acting  manager  of  the 
Hopeful. 

In  that  case,  she  would  go  with  him  to  the  grain- 
fields  and  to  the  quarries  and  to  the  office. 

By  no  manner  of  means.  It  would  be  the  height 
of  impropriety  for  her  to  go  trailing  him  about 
over  the  premises,  everything  considered,  wouldn't 
it,  Mr.  Allan?  She  had  done  overmuch  of  that 
already.  There  was  scandal-spinning  enough  now, 
didn't  she  think? 


480  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Well,  but  he  was  the  tired  one.  Hadn't  he 
just  come  down  from  the  lumber-camp?  He'd  be 
ill,  wouldn't  he,  Uncle?  So  if  he  would  not  lie 
there  on  the  couch  and  let  her  read  to  him,  he  would 
please  order  Bonita.  She  was  sorry  to  oppose  him 
now  in  the  very  beginning,  but  she  was  going  with 
him. 

He  would  beg  to  remind  her  that  from  the  bound- 
ary-line of  Eldhurst  east  to  the  Rocky  Mountains 
west,  he  was  the  only  recognized  authority;  mon- 
arch of  all  things  surveyed  and  unsurveyed.  If 
she  doubted  it,  he  would  respectfully  refer  her  to 
Wagner,  Johnson,  Max  and  Webb. 

She  thereupon  sprang  from  the  chair  and  re- 
treated to  her  uncle's.  He  was  a  domineering, 
iron-handed  tyrant,  worse  than  her  father,  and  she 
had  her  doubts  about  changing  from  one  master 
to  the  other. 

He  turned  toward  the  door ;  but  somehow  she  was 
there  before  he  was,  her  back  against  it,  her  eyes 
a  challange,  her  lips  a  temptation.  I'm  afraid  he 
was  not  properly  reluctant  in  accepting  the  challenge, 
in  yielding  to  the  temptation.  I'm  afraid  also  that 
they  were  indecorus  enough  to  forget,  for  some 
moments,  the  presence  of  a  scandalized  third  party. 
When  they  did  recollect,  her  color  was  considerably 
heightened  and  he  was  laughing  at  her. 

But  she  smoothed  her  hair  complacently,  and  with 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  481 

the  other  hand  triumphantly  clutching  his  coat- 
sleeve,  led  him  back  to  a  chair  on  which  lay  her 
hat  and  riding-gloves. 

With  a  glance  of  helpless,  whimsical  dismay  to- 
ward the  Rector  he  picked  her  up  and  without 
further  ado  carried  her  into  the  adjoining  room, 
closed  all  the  inner  blinds,  and  threatening  to  lock 
her  in  if  she  did  not  at  once  go  to  sleep,  he  left  her. 


Eldreth  found  his  brother-in-law  alone  in  the 
study.  The  unhappy  father  looked  travel-stained 
and  haggard ;  and  the  tidings  he  had  gathered  from 
dispatches  and  the  daily  papers  and  from  Pepito  en 
route  from  town  had  done  the  work  of  years  in 
aging  him  and  in  taming  his  inordinate  pride. 

Sarah  brought  a  tray  into  the  study  and  would 
have  wakened  Lilys,  but  Eldreth  said  no,  to  let  the 
tired  little  girl  sleep.  So,  while  he  discussed  the 
burden  of  the  tray  and  afterward  sipped  his  wine, 
the  Rector  filled  in  the  details  of  the  eventful  days 
of  his  absence  from  home.  Of  Richard,  he  spoke 
charitably,  yet  truthfully,  laying  much  of  the  blame 
of  the  strike  at  Schmidt's  door.  He  told  of  Nina's 
heroic  devotion,  of  the  funerals,  of  Hilma's  death 
and  of  Marah's  death,  this  last,  however  with  some 
vital  omissions. 

"  It  was  the  death  of  her  boy  that  killed  her," 
concluded  Allan  "  this  in  conjunction  with  the  fact 


482  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

that  she  had  been  somewhat  instrumental  in  the 
strike-troubles.  Her  lucid  moments  were  measured 
and  her  words  few  and  broken ;  but  I  gathered  that 
her  life  has  been  one  long,  premeditated  sacrifice 
to  her  revenge,  which  was  to  have  been  the  reduc- 
tion of  your  pride  through  the  attachment  of  your 
child  for  hers,  the  one  reared  to  luxury  and  culture, 
the  other  as  coarse  as  poverty  and  ignorance  could 
make  him.  For  this  purpose  she  bound  Paul  to 
your  service;  anl  I  unconsciously  helped  defeat  her 
plan  by  educating  him  in  secret.  She  acknowledged 
the  futility  of  all  vengeance  save  heaven's;  she 
had  been  the  only  sufferer.  She  admitted  her  part 
in  stirring  up  the  trouble,  and  her  punishment  in 
the  death  of  her  favorite  child." 

The  narrator's  head  sank  on  one  hand,  and  his 
voice  lowered : 

"  All  her  life  here,  despite  her  coldness  and  bitter- 
ness, she  has  loved  but  one.  Not  the  man  with 
whom  she  lived,  adoring  her  as  he  did;  not  her 
benefactor,  as  she  styled  me;  but  him  who,  in  the 
rose-flush  of  youth,  called  her  womanhood  to  full 
life,  the  father  of  her  precious  first-born.  To  the 
last  breath  she  gloried  in  her  shame.  With  that 
father's  consent,  she  would  now  have  it  known  that 
the  child  had  been  hers.  In  the  passionate  love  of 
this  man,  she  all  but  forgot  the  compassionate  love 
of  God,  and  this  in  the  hour  of  death !  And  Pierce," 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  483 

his  voice  sank  to  a  whisper,  "  she  died  with  this 
man's  name  on  her  lips." 

"  My  God !  Edwin !  Don't,  don't !  "  The  master 
of  Eldhurst  bowed  his  head  to  both  hands  and  his 
shoulders  shook  convulsively. 

His  companion  rose  and  moved  to  a  window, 
and  for  half  an  hour  no  sound  was  heard  in  the 
room  save  the  ticking  of  the  clock. 

At  the  end  of  that  time,  Eldreth  straightened 
up,  shook  himself  as  though  to  free  himself  once  for 
all  of  old  memories  and  asked  abruptly,  as  though 
he  had  just  arrived: 

"Well,  Edwin,  how's  everything?" 

The  Rector  came  back  to  his  chair,  brushing 
his  eyes  and  clearing  his  throat. 

"  All  right,  I  believe." 

"Quarries  shut  down,  or  Italians  at  work?" 

"  Neither.     Your  own  men  are  back." 

"  You  don't  say !    At  restored  wages,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No ;  that's  the  beauty  of  it.  He  put  on  the 
entire  force,  it  is  true,  but  at  the  cut  wage,  and  every 
man's  at  work  this  minute." 

"I  ...  see.     And  the  sawmill  ?  " 

"  Webb  reconsidered  his  resignation,  came  back 
all  the  way  to  say  so;  but  of  course  he'd  have  to 
have  union  men.  His  own  men  were  given  one 
chance  at  their  old  positions,  with  many  a  hedging 
proviso,  I  can  tell  you.  In  any  case,  they  must  all 


484  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

leave  Quarry  Town  at  once,  that  night.  And  they 
left.  Most  of  them  went  to  work  when  the  mills 
started  up.  So  much  time  had  been  lost  that  both 
foremen  were  asked  to  work  their  men  early  and 
late,  and  the  men  are  doing  the  overtime  cheerfully, 
I  understand,  with  both  foremen  well  pleased." 

"Webb  and  Schmidt?" 

"  No,  Webb  and  Johnson,  with  Garia  assisting 
Johnson.  Schmidt  has  been  discharged." 

"Well,  I  like  that!" 

"  The  men  would  not  have  done  themselves  jus- 
tice under  him  after  his  high-handed  doings.  Be- 
sides, you  wired  '  Full  authority.'  ' 

"  He  seems  to  have  used  it.     Anything  else?  " 

"  He  talked  a  minute  or  two  there  at  Schmidt's 
gate  that  night.  Until  the  carriage  came,  he  de- 
voted his  time  to  Richard,  as  we  all  did,  directing 
the  disposition  of  Hanson's  body  and  the  two 
wounded  men.  Then  when  the  carriage  was  gone, 
he  spoke  quietly  to  the  mob.  He  promised  the 
strikers  a  careful,  impartial  investigation  of  the 
whole  matter  at  once  upon  your  return.  He  as- 
sured them  of  full  justice,  whoever  the  sufferers. 
He  put  it  as  a  personal  request  that  they  go,  each 
man  to  his  own  home,  save  those  who  were  to 
minister  to  the  bereaved  families.  He  told  them  he 
did  not  believe  any  part  of  Eldhurst  needed  military 
rule,  least  of  all  the  Swedish  village,  which  had 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  485 

always  been  the  pattern  of  order  for  the  other  helpers 
of  the  ranches.  They  must  be  their  own  sureties 
for  peace  and  order,  answerable  to  him,  personally, 
as  he  intended  dismissing  the  deputies  there  and 
then.  This  he  proceeded  to  do  and  they  returned 
to  Boulder,  taking  their  prisoner.  Upon  Schmidt's 
request  for  guards  for  his  house  the  remainder 
of  the  night,  he  actually  called  for  volunteers  from 
the  quarrymen  themselves,  and  got  two!  Then, 
late  though  it  was,  he  hustled  the  whole  lot  of  men 
from  the  Lower  Ranch  back  to  where  they  belonged, 
with  the  reliable  Luis  at  their  head.  Next  he 
marched  the  Italians  off  to  their  sleeping  quarters 
like  so  many  sheep,  assuring  them  that  they  would 
be  paid  in  full  and  dismissed  in  the  morning.  I 
went  to  the  House;  he  remained  in  the  village  all 
night.  And  if  you  will  believe  me,  Pierce  Eldreth, 
an  hour  after  he  got  off  his  horse  at  Schmidt's  gate, 
in  spite  of  the  terrible,  tragic  happenings,  the  streets 
of  Quarry  Town  were  as  quiet  and  deserted  as 
those  of  ancient  Pompeii.  No  talking  in  groups, 
no  excitement ;  but  every  man  to  his  own  home  and 
lights  out,  save  where  the  wounded  were  being 
cared  for.  It  was  marvelous." 

Eldreth  laughed.  "  That  boy  is  a  general,  and  no 
mistake.  I  once  told  you  my  opinion  of  his  ex- 
ecutive ability.  This  confirms  it.  I'll  have  to  con- 
fess that  I  rested  pretty  easy  myself  after  I  wired 
you  to  send  for  him." 


486  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

"  Yet,  after  all,  it  is  not  so  marvelous,"  mused 
the  other,  "  when  you  consider  that  there  is  not 
one  family  in  the  entire  village  but  Paul's  kindness 
has  at  some  time  and  in  some  manner  touched ;  not 
a  man  of  them  but  he  has  taken  by  the  hand  as  a 
brother.  He  has  gone  to  them  in  sickness  and 
trouble  and  discouragements;  he  has  taught  their 
children ;  advised,  sympathized,  emptied  his  pockets. 
His  money  buried  Bradley's  wife;  he  got  Shorty 
Anderson  in  at  the  Lyons  quarries  when  you  dis- 
charged him;  he  took  the  Hanson's  little  crippled 
girl  to  the  hospital;  he  nursed  Wagner's  boy  when 
Marah  had  another  case — and  so  on  through  the 
list.  And  besides,  he  possesses  what  is  a  rare  gift : 
natural  executive  ability  tempered  by  a  wise  tact 
that  persuades  without  compromising  itself;  that 
gains  its  own  good  ends  by  only  seeming  to  yield. 
Edith  had  the  same  gift.  I  have  seen  her  manage 
with  ease  the  most-to-be-dreaded  elements  in  our 
slum  work;  change  discord  to  harmony  in  our  most 
difficult  church  work  as  though  by  magic;  and  this 
ac — "  He  checked  himself  and  added :  "  Then 
as  you  know,  he  has  a  strong  personality,  a  potent 
magnetism.  One  of  the  strikers,  one  of  the  ring- 
leaders, said  to  me  afterward  that  he  didn't  know 
why  they  dispersed ;  not  because  they  wanted  to,  or 
intended  to ;  not  because  they  hadn't  wrongs,  wrongs 
unrighted,  but — well,  because  Paul  had  told  them  to, 
because  Paul  was  Paul !  " 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  487 

"  Yes,"  nodded  Eldreth,  "  I  know ;  I've  noticed. 
During  my  own  recent  foremanship,  brilliant,  if 
brief,  I  met  that  same  spirit  everywhere.  Wagner 
had  decided  upon  a  certain  order  of  crop-rotation; 
and  did  I,  (/,  Pierce  Eldreth!)  think  that  Paul 
would  have  approved  it?  And  I  had  to  discharge 
McCune,  the  best  horse-trainer  in  Colorado,  because 
on  two  occassions  he  hinted  that  I  didn't  run  things 
as  Paul  did !  The  boy  got  a  great  hold  on  the 
tenantry — sort  of  a  personal  magnetism  pull.  He's 
modest  enough,  but  he  has  an  assertive  individu- 
ality, is  a  born  manager  of  men.  Only  where  does 
he  get  it?  There's  where  the  marvel  comes  in. 
It  knocks  some  of  my  pet  theories  cold.  I'll  never 
hear  the  last  of  this  from  Nolan — confound  him !  " 

His  brother-in-law  smiled  oddly,  but  confined 
himself  to  remarking:  "I  was  certainly  proud  of 
my  disciple.  You  couldn't  have  done  better  your- 
self." 

"  Not  so  well ;  for  I'm  afraid  I  should  have 
carried  out  poor  Dick's  policy — sent  for  the  state 
militia  and  cleaned  out  the  town." 

A  quick,  firm  step  was  heard  on  the  porch. 

"  There  he  is  now,"  whispered  the  Rector,  "  I 
trust  you  will  remember  all  he  has  done.  The 
Anderson-Swensson  faction  had  fully  planned  to 
burn  the  House;  a  member  of  it  confessed  after 
Paul  came;  more  mischief  was  prevented  than  you 


488  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

will  ever  know.     So  be  considerate,  if  only  for  my 
sake." 

The  other  turned  him  a  haggard  face.  "  My 
Lord!  "  he  said  brokenly  "  haven't  I  had  my  lesson? 
If  I  had  learned  it  earlier,  I'd  have  a  son  alive  to- 
day. Now  the  old  name  must  die." 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  489 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

FATHER    AND    SON. 

When  Paul  entered,  he  was  greeted  by  words 
he  had  never  hoped  to  hear  from  the  lips  of  his 
former  employer : 

"  I  want  to  thank  you,  Menendez,  for  all  you've 
done  and  for  the  way  in  which  you've  done  it.  You 
have  saved  me  hundreds  of  dollars  and  a  number 
of  good  workmen,  to  say  nothing  of  time  and 
trouble." 

But  it  did  not  escape  Paul  that  the  words  were 
unaccompanied  by  an  extended  hand,  and  that  the 
tone  and  manner  savored  of  condescension.  The 
man  seemed  unable  to  render  them  otherwise. 

The  three  sat  down  and  talked  the  situation  over 
from  beginning  to  end.  When  all  had  been  covered, 
Eldreth  asked: 

"  By  the  way,  what's  become  of  the  coachman  ? 
I  noticed  Pepito  brought  the  carriage." 

<;  William's  been  laid  off,  sir,  or  at  least  he  was 
requested  to  go  sober  up,  pending  your  arrival." 

"Has  Lena  been  dismissed?"  queried  the  other 
sarcastically  "  and  is  Helene  still  with  us? "  Then 


490  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

dropping  his  light  tone,  "  Well,  I  presume  I  could 
offer  you  no  inducement  to  leave  Bradley  and  return 
to  Eldhurst  to  keep  things  from  going  to  the  eternal 
damnations  when  I  am  away  ?  " 

Paul  sent  an  amused  under-glance  toward  the 
Rector,  laced  his  shapely  fingers  together  and  said 
reflectively : 

"  I  might,  if  .  ..." 

"If  what?"  questioned  the  elder  man  eagerly, 
"  I  shall  have  to  be  gone  a  great  deal  from  now  on ; 
and  you  have  certainly  earned  the  right  to  dictate 
terms  in  this;  so  name  your  price." 

"  Mr.  Eldreth,"  said  the  young  man  abruptly, 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  request  your  daughter's  hand 
in  marriage." 

"To— request—  WHAT— sir?"  gasped  the 
other,  "  I  .  .  I  did  not — understand  you." 

Paul  repeated  his  request  slowly  and  clearly. 

Pierce  Eldreth  stood  up,  and  sat  down  again. 
Then  he  lay  back  in  his  chair  and  blinked  at  his 
companion  for  a  full  speechless  minute. 

"Well,  I'll  be — "  he  began;  then  turning  upon 
his  brother,  "  There !  Edwin  Allan,  I  told  you  it 
was  unwise,  dangerous,  to  give  any  one  man  the 
idea  that  your  business  couldn't  run  on  without 
him.  Hear  what  this  young  fool  is  asking :  the  hand 
of  Lilys  Eldreth,  sole  heiress  now  of  my  estate.  His 
price  is  high  indeed!  Why,  you  young  idiot," 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  491 

whirling  upon  the  young  man,  "  the  very  last  time 
I  mentioned  your  name  to  my  daughter,  she  forbade 
my  speaking  it  again  and  declared  she  hated  you 
from  her  soul." 

Paul  lifted  an  aggravatingly  placid  gaze  and  re- 
plied calmly: 

"  Ah,  but  that  was  before  she  learned  I  had  never 
received  the  letter  she  sent  me." 

Eldreth  flushed  and  dropped  his  eyes  for  a  mo- 
ment, but  he  rallied: 

"  She  loves  a  young  foreigner,  a  nobleman." 

"  No,  she  merely  tried  to,"  corrected  the  other. 

"  She  has  accepted  his  ring  by  this  time." 

"  I  fear  you  are  misinformed." 

"  You  mean  to  tell  me  that  a  daughter  of  mine 
has  discarded  such  an  offer,  and  for  you?" 

"  Send  for  her ;  ask  her,"  with  a  gesture  toward 
the  bed-room  door,  "  It  is  unbelievable,  I  admit. 
It  was  some  time  before  I  could  credit  it.  But  when 
a  girl  consents  to  live  with  a  man  in  a  tent  in  a 
mining  camp,  she  must  have  some  regard  for  him." 

The  father  seized  angrily  upon  one  word  of  the 
reply : 

"  A  girl — that's  just  it.  You  are  both  in  pina- 
fores yet — striplings,  fledglings,  infants !  " 

"  You  were  a  father  before  you  were  my  age." 

Eldreth  rose  hastily  and  walked  to  a  far  window. 
The  Rector  looked  imploringly  at  Paul,  but  the 


492  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

young  man  shook  his  head,  and  the  embarrassed 
silence  continued.  When  Eldreth  finally  turned 
from  the  window,  he  exclaimed  in  a  quivering  voice : 

"  I  am  a  fool  to  argue  with  you.  I  wonder,  sir, 
you  dare  dream  such  a  thing,  you — with  but  one  coat 
to  your  back  and  as  you  have  said,  but  little  better 
than  a  tent  to  offer  her ! "  He  made  no  allusion 
to  Paul's  parentage.  He  was  being  considerate 
of  Edwin  Allan's  disciple! 

There  was  the  merest  suggestion  of  suppressed 
amusement  in  the  younger  man's  tone  as  he  modestly 
announced : 

"  I  am  making  something  with  my  pen  now  and 
then." 

"  Your  pen !  Lord  above,  hear  him  !  Have  you 
any  idea  what  it  costs  to  keep  Lilys  Eldreth  in 
gloves  and  handkerchiefs  every  year?" 

"  I  have  still  another  source  of  income,  adequate 
for  at  least  gloves  and  handkerchiefs,  perhaps  rib- 
bons. I  can  satisfy  you  upon  that  point,  sir.  I 
don't  mind  telling  you,  now  you've  consented." 

"  Consented  ?  Damn  it !  who  said  anything  about 
consenting?  " 

"  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon  if  I  misunderstood  you. 
But  we  had  so  hoped  to  go  with  your  sanction,"  sig- 
nificantly. 

"  Which  implies  you  will  go,  sanction  or  no  sanc- 
tion ?  "  eying  the  speaker. 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  493 

Paul  did  not  reply;  but  there  was  a  touch  of 
regret  in  his  eyes  as  he  looked  past  his  questioner 
and  out  of  the  window. 

The  master  of  Eldhurst  scrutinized  the  figure 
before  him  from  the  crown  of  the  fair  hair  to  the 
soles  of  the  trim  feet,  every  inch  of  it,  then  back 
to  the  face  again,  with  its  grave,  half-smiling  eyes — 
scrutinized  it  carefully  and  intently  as  though  he 
were  looking  over  some  rare  curio  for  the  first  time. 
Then  he  drawled: 

"  Young  man,  I  have  all  my  life  admired  nerve 
in  whomsoever  if  only  it  were  the  genuine,  simon- 
pure  article ;  but  yours — yours  is  the  limit !  "  Then 
turning  to  his  brother-in-law :  "  I  believe  I  men- 
tioned modesty  as  one  of  this  young  gentleman's 
qualities.  On  the  face  of  matters,  I  must  be  allowed 
to  retract.  Modest !  Ha !  ha !  "  He  ended  in  a 
sneering  laugh  that  jarred  unpleasantly. 

Paul  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  eyes  blue  lightnings. 

"  Pierce  Eldreth ! "  and  the  usually  firm  voice 
quivered,  "  this  is  no  matter  for  laughing,  as  you 
will  learn.  Do  you  think  I  am  here  for  trifling? 
Do  you  imagine  anything  you  can  say  or  do  will 
affect  results?  that  anything  under  God's  heaven 
can  keep  me  from  possession  of  the  woman  I  love? 
Undeceive  yourself.  But  I  have  extended  to  you 
the  courtesy  customary  between  man  and  man;  I 
have  waited  your  return ;  have  gone  to  the  unneces- 


494  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

sary  trouble  of  asking  your  consent.  I  am  of  age; 
so  is  she.  I  can  not  recall  a  time  when  I  have  not 
loved  her;  if  you  had  not  all  been  stone  blind,  you 
would  have  seen  it.  As  to  her  feeling  for  me — 
had  I  known  the  truth  last  June,  she  would  to-day 
be  the  bride  of  a  year.  For  the  rest,  I  am  strong 
and  able  to  work;  thanks  to  Mr.  Allan.  I  can  read 
and  write  fairly,  and  my  photograph  does  not 
appear  in  the  rogues'  gallery.  If  you  plead  her 
superiority,  there  is  no  argument ;  I  admit  it.  But 
you  yourself  won  a  woman  far  your  superior.  The 
average  man  does.  I  claim  the  right.  My  father 


Eldreth  had  come  to  his  feet.  He  took  one  men- 
acing stride.  "  Your  father — yes,  your  father !  "  he 
cut  in  fiercely,  "  his  past,  his  excesses,  his  cringing 
guilt,  his  blood-stained  soul — what  of  them,  of  their 
transmission  to  progeny  ?  " 

Paul  met  him  more  than  half  way,  his  clenched 
hands  tightening,  his  control  an  apparent  effort : 

"  Unfortunately,  one  may  not  choose  his  father 
as  he  may  his  garments.  True,  there  was  his  sin  be- 
fore my  birth.  I  must  expiate  that  sin?  So  be  it. 
But  what  expiation  does  your  code  require  beyond 
youth  spent,  toil  unpaid,  galling  bondage,  daily  hu- 
miliation, hourly  insult,  soul-crucifixion  ?  What 
more?  Are  your  standards  higher  than  Edwin  Al- 
lan's? your  requirements  more  exacting  than  Al- 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  495 

mighty  God's?  And  there  is  my  inheritance,  you 
argue,  never  to  be  escaped.  But  no!  not  what  I 
inherit,  but  what  I  see  fit  to  accept  of  that  inherit- 
ance— that  and  that  only  counts.  What!  shall  the 
bestial  indulgences  of  an  irresponsible  father  once 
and  for  all  time  quench  the  divine  spirit,  the  upward 
will,  the  purging  fire  m  the  souls  of  his  children's 
children  ?  I  say  to  you :  not  '  eight  generations  to 
make  a  gentleman/  nay,  nor  seven,  nor  six,  but  one 
— in  the  name  of  American  Manhood,  ONE!  And 
now,  not  the  past,  but  the  future.  '  Instead  of  my 
fathers,  my  sons/  whom  I,  by  the  grace  of  God, — 
even  Paul  Menendez,  may  *  make  princes  in  all  the 
earth.'  Who  shall  prevent?  Not  you,  Pierce  Eld- 
reth,  nor  a  host  like  you.  Now  sir,  I  am  asking  your 
consent  to  our  union,  or,  denied  that,  a  decent  denial 
with  your  reasons.  It  is  a  gentleman's  question; 
and  I  demand  a  gentleman's  answer.' ' 

Paul  had  regained  his  usual  self-command;  his 
voice  had  steadied,  his  eyes  had  resumed  their  deep 
serenity.  His  companion,  at  first  fairly  breathless 
from  the  audacity  of  that  speech,  now  stood  with 
relaxing  fists,  his  glance  at  first  defiant,  now  inquir- 
ing, searching. 

But  behind  the  gaze  that  met  and  held  his  own 
there  lay  a  something  he  lacked,  the  mother-gift  of 
high  moral  worth  the  strong,  unyielding  fiber  of  a 
gracious  manhood.  As  he  looked  into  the  soul 


496  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

through  those  eyes,  it  came  to  him  vaguely  that  his 
own  character,  himself,  appeared  dwarfed  and  mis- 
shapen in  this  man's  presence,  who  was  what  he  was 
despite  both  heredity  and  environment.  Surely,  he 
had  never  seen  the  real  man  before — the  man,  self- 
made,  self-reliant,  self-strong,  standing  in  the  place 
he  had  made  for  himself,  though  nameless.  Come 
to  look,  here  was  something  sturdy  and  respect- 
compelling. 

And  there  was  yet  another  element  deeper  down 
that  held  him  with  a  new  fascination,  a  subtle  ex- 
change of  soul-force  that  flashed  between  the  two. 
Pierce  Eldreth  at  last  recognized  unmistakably 
something  kindred  to  his  own  in  this  proud  nature, 
something  mutually  sympathetic  grappling  each  to 
each. 

He  did  not  speak,  but  he  passed  his  right  hand 
slowly  over  his  eyes,  then  even  more  slowly  ex- 
tended it — that  heretofore  unproffered  hand ! 

There  was  an  instant  of  hesitation,  then  it  was 
met  by  the  close  firm  grasp  of  the  other. 

Edwin  Allan  came  with  misty  eyes  and  stood,  a 
hand  on  the  shoulder  of  each. 

"  Are  you  answered,  lad  ?  Are  you  satisfied  ?  " 
he  asked  the  one. 

"Wholly   so." 

"  And  you  ?  "  he  asked  the  other. 

"  It  seems  that  T  am — that  I  shall  have  to  be.    I 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  497 

must  say '     He  was  still  clinging  to  Paul's 

hand  and  looking  bewildered. 

"  No,  you  must  not,"  laughed  the  Rector,  "  You 
have  said  quite  enough,  both  of  you.  It  is  my  turn 
now.  Sit  down  and  listen  to  me." 


Weary  little  Lilys  was  awakened  at  length  by  the 
sound  of  men's  voices  coming  from  the  study.  It 
was  almost  dark.  Her  father  had  come  and  they 
had  allowed  her  to  sleep. 

As  she  smoothed  her  hair  and  the  "  pretty  pink 
frock  "  of  Paul's  liking,  her  lover's  words  recurred 
to  her :  "  The  very  moment  your  father  says  "  Yes," 
(or  "  No,"  rather)  you  are  to  be  made  mine, 
whether  that  moment  be  noontime  or  midnight." 
And  she  thought  of  their  parting  last  night,  flush- 
ing warmly,  though  no  eyes  were  upon  her  save 
those  of  her  own  reflection.  She  knew  he  would 
make  good  his  words,  for  that  very  morning  he  had 
gone  to  the  county-seat  on  "  important  business 
with  the  county  clerk,"  as  he  had  laughingly  told  her 
and  Nina. 

But  her  father  would  say  "  No."  That  was  fore- 
gone. And  the  encounter  would  be  disagreeable 
enough.  She  braced  herself  mentally,  as  she  tapped 
for  admission  and  entered  at  the  same  time.  She 
paused  in  the  door — the  very  door  by  which  Edith 


498  THIS  WAS  A  MAN. 

Allan  had  entered  the  presence  of  two  of  the  men 
more  than  twenty  years  before. 

"  O  Papa !  "  she  began ;  but  something  in  the 
attitude  and  faces  of  the  group  arrested  both  her 
tongue  and  her  feet.  She  saw  traces  of  actual  tears 
on  her  father's  cheek,  and  he  had  been  as  she  en- 
tered, smiling  proudly,  yes  fondly,  up  at  Paul  Men- 
endez,  who  stood  near  his  chair.  Seeing  was  believ- 
ing! 

"  Lilys,"  and  Pierce  Eldreth  strove  to  render 
steady  his  voice  tremulous  with  his  new-found  happi- 
ness, "  Lilys,  I  have  been  driven  into  a  close  corner 
from  which  you  alone  can  rescue  me.  This  young 
gentleman,  by  simply  pressing  a  button  or  two,  has 
set  things  to  rights  here;  and  now  in  payment,  he 
modestly  asks  both  ranches;  and  he  would  also  rob 
your  old  father  of  a  daughter  that  he  may  have  a 
wife.  Come  here  to  me,  my  child." 

But  Paul  took  a  step  toward  her,  reaching  his 
arms. 

"  No,  come  to  me,  dear,"  persuaded  the  Rector 
lovingly,  patting  his  knee,  "  I  won't  let  them  tease 
you,  and  I  will  tell  you  the  whole  truth  at  once." 

"But  Uncle— but  Papa,"  faltered  Lilys,  slowly 
advancing  and  trying  to  determine  if  it  were  all 
jest  or  earnest. 

"  Yes,  I  think  we'll  have  to  allow  you  to  call  us 
uncle  and  papa  the  remainder  of  our  days,"  laughed 


THIS  WAS  A  MAN.  499 

Eldreth,  "  So  ho !  "  as  she  slipped  past  them  both 
and  into  the  arms  stretched  to  her,  "  then  that  tent 
story  is  authentic?  But  if  you  snub  me  this  way 
for  him,  I  may  not  let  you  pitch  your  precious  tent 
within  forty  miles  of  Eldhurst." 

"  Allow  me  to  call  them  uncle  and  papa — let  us 
stay  here?  Why,  Paul,  what  does  it  all  mean?" 
cried  the  puzzled  girl. 

He  smoothed  back  her  hair  with  an  unsteady  hand 
and  looked  down  into  her  eyes,  a  Spartanlike  smile 
in  his  own. 

"  It  means  that  his  '  allows  '  and  '  lets  '  are  mere 
graspings  after  a  vanishing  authority.  For  he  is 
no  longer  the  ruling  despot;  he  is  uncrowned,  de- 
throned." 

He  gathered  her  closer  against  his  heart,  holding 
her  as  one  holds  the  best  beloved  into  whose  tender 
flesh  the  necessary  lancet  is  about  to  be  thrust. 
His  strong  lips  quivered,  his  voice  lost  its  forced 
levity,  and  fell  to  a  cadence  of  inexpressible  tender- 
ness: 

"  It  means  that  for  the  hour  I  am  to  rob  you  of 
your  name,  my  darling, — only  long  enough  to  re- 
store it  to  you  for  life;  that  I,  Paul  Eldreth,  am 
master  of  Eldhurst,  and  you,  as  always,  its  Little 
Mistress — and  mine! " 

FINIS. 


.*.  AN  ANSWER  TO  "THE  LEOPARD'S  SPOTS "    .-. 

YARB 

AND 

CRETINE 

By 
DR.    GEORGE   B.    H.   SWAYZE 

A  Story   of   the   Never*Ending 
Southern  Problem  of  the  Races 

HERE  is  action  in  this  book  from  the  very  first 
line  until  the  last ;  there  is  also  a  deep,  gen- 
uine heart  interest,  but  greater  than  either 
ot  these  is  an  able  treatise  on  the  greatest  of 
all  modern  problems — the  black  man.  Dr. 
Swayze  takes  a  diametrically  opposite  view  of  the  question 
from  that  of  Rev.  Thomas  Dixon  in  "The  Leopard's  Spots." 
It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  books  of  these  two  men,  the 
one  a  clergyman  the  other  a  physician.  It  would  be  quite 
natural  to  expect  that  the  man  of  God  would  take  a  somewhat 
more  gentle,  more  lenient  view  of  the  question  than  would  the 
man  of  medicine,  but  the  readers  of  "YARB  AND  CRETINE" 
assert  that  quite  to  the  contrary  Dr.  Swayze  has  written 
with  a  sympathy  and  toleration  which  was  totally  lacking  in 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Dixon's  book. 

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A         STORY         FOR         BOYS 

SIGNAL 
LIGHTS 

—  BY  — 

LOUISE   M.   HOPKINS 

41,  A  Frontier  Story  of  the  good,   old  fashioned  sort. 

41,  The  plot    starts  with   a  whoop,  and    fairly  races  to 
the  last  chapter. 

ITS  THE  SORT  OF  BOOK  A  BOY  WILL  FOR- 
GET  HIS  DINNER  TO  READ. 

41,  Its    tone    is    healthy  and    vigorous  —  It    excites    no 
morbid  fancies — it  will  do  the  boy  good  to  read  it. 

41,  The  story  is  full  of  characters  that 
have  good,  red  blood  in  them.  The 
hero,  Newton  Bolt,  is  just  the  sort  of 
boy  you  would  like  your  own  to  be. 

Fully  Illustrated — Handsomely  Bound  in  Cloth 

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A 

WILDERNESS 
CRY  " 

By 
GEORGE    EDWARD  DAY 

A  Story  With  a  Strong  Moral  Lesson 


A  Book  That  Every  Young  flan 
and  Woman  Should  Read  .  »      . 


HE  greatest  sacrifice  that  a  woman  can  make  is 
to  give  up  the  man  she  loves  when  she  be- 
lieves it  to  be  her  duty.  This  is  the  sacrifice 
which  is  made  by  the  heroine  of  "  A  Wilder- 
ness Cry."  More  than  that,  she  is  the  wife  of  the  man 
whom  she  denounces.  For  the  man  it  is  a  harvest  of  his  wild 
oats.  The  book  ends  happily,  however.  It  is  a  story  of 
modern  times. 

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Maid 

FREDERICK 

of  the  A. 

Mohawk 


A    ROMANCE    OF    THE    MOHAWK    VALLEY 
IN    THE    DAYS    OF    THE    REVOLUTION 

C.  The  picturesque  valley  of  the  Mohawk 
River  —  one  of  the  tributary  streams  of  the 
mighty  Hudson  —  was  the  theatre  of  some 
of  the  most  exciting  incidents  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution. 

C.  It  was  settled  by  a  mixture  of  Dutch, 
English  and  Irish  and  was  the  very  border 
land  of  the  Briton's  most  terrible  ally  —  the 
Indian. 

C.  In  this  fruitful  region  Mr.  Ray  has  loca- 
ted the  principal  scenes  of  his  romance  and 
the  only  wonder  is  that  no  one  has  done  it 
before  him. 

C.  All  of  the  characters  are  actively  con- 
cerned in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  many 
of  them  are  historical  personages,  among 
whom  might  be  mentioned  :  General  Wash- 
ington, Major  Andre,  Benedict  Arnold,  Sir 
Henry  Clinton,  James  Riverton  and  many 
others.  Whatever  they  do  in  the  story  is  in 
perfect  harmony  with  history  - 

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The  Lieutenant 
The  Girl  and 
The  Viceroy 

By 

MARSHALL 

PUTNAH 

THOMPSON 

The  Story  of  an  American  Lieutenant, 

a  Patriotic  Beauty  and  a  Spanish 

Viceroy  in  South  America 

F  you  would  read  a  romance,  founded  on 
South  American  and  American  history,  a 
romance  that  will  stir  your  blood  and  hold 
your  attention  from  the  moment  you  begin 
until  you  have  read  the  last  page,  by  all  means  read 
"  The  Lieutenant,  The  Girl  and  The  Viceroy."  Not 
a  dry  or  prosy  page  in  the  whole  book.  Beautifully 
written  and  cleverly  told.  Correct  in  historic  infor- 
mation, but  romantic  in  conception. 

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*  *  *  The  Belle 
of  the  Bluerrass 

o 

Country  •  •  * 


By  H.  D.  PITTMAN 


Q  This  is  a  bit  of  real  literature  that  should  be  in 
every  library.  It  is  a  story  of  strong  heart-interest 
with  scenes  laid  in  the  picturesque  state  of  Kentucky. 
It  depicts,  as  no  previous  novel  does,  people  and  places 
in  the  famous  "Blue  Grass"  state  soon  after  the  close 
of  the  Civil  war.  The  "Belle"  is  one  of  the  sweet- 
est, most  lovable  characters  in  modern  fiction,  and  her 
little  love  story  cannot  but  interest  everyone.  The 
reader  fairly  scents  the  waving  grass,  the  fragrant  flowers 
of  old  Kentucky. 

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A    BOOK    FOR    SAINTS    AND    SINNERS 

FIRES 

OF 

DESIRE 

By 
LAVRENCE  R.   MANSFIELD 

The    Story    of    a    Modern   Adam,    and 

a   Modern   Eve;    the   Temptation, 

the  Fall  and  the  Tragedy 

YOUNG  American  of  the  cloth  is  sent 
to  India  as  a  teacher.  He  meets  a 
beautiful  native  girl,  pretends  to  marry 
her  but  in  reality  betrays  her.  Return- 
ing to  America  he  finds  that  his  sweetheart  has  gone 
to  India  and  has  met  the  girl  he  has  betrayed.  The 
end  is  tragic.  A  tale  of  great  strength  which  every 
one  should  read. 

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••  •     ii     •  i  ii    ii     ill     mi        in 

A    000119007    3 

The   UNTAMED 
PHILOSOPHER 

AT  HOME  AND  WITH 

THE    PLUGONIANS 
OF   PLUGOLIA 

Being  a  Tale  of  Hens  and  some  other    People 

by  FRANK   W.  HASTINGS 

AUTHOR  OF  SEVERAL  WIDELY  UNKNOWN  WORKS 


The  book  is  a  series  of  deliciously  funny  essays  on  such 
things  as  Marriage,  Work,  Love,  Country,  Church,  Wrecks, 
Politics,  Sundries,  etc. 

The  book  bears  this  unique  dedication,  "  To  the  ever- 
lasting, ever  present,  ever  dignified,  ever-plentiful  and  never 
murmuring  weather  these  evidences  of  dementia  are  inscribed  " 

It  is  quite  the  funniest  book  of  philosophy  ever  published 
and  one  of  the  best  works  of  humor  that  have  been  issued  in 
many  years. 


THE   C.    M.    CLARK   PUBLISHING    CO. 

BOSTON,  MASS 


THE      ROMANCE      OF      A      POET 

HIGHLAND 
MARY 

By 
CLAYTON  MACKENZIE   LEGGE 

The  Sweetest  Story  Ever  Told 
Re-Told  in  a  New  Way 


A  novel  of  more  than  ordinary  interest, 
portraying  many  important  characters 
and  telling  for  the  first  time  in  fiction 
the  sweet  love  story  of  "Bobby  Burns" 
and  Highland  Mary. 


ILLUSTRATED  ...  CLOTH  BOUND 

Price 
$1.50 

THE  C  M.  CLARK  PUBLISHING  CO. 
BOSTON,  MASS. 


